Tuesday, July 07, 2009

WORKING AND RESTING

I see many things around me in the world that seem to be able to work and rest at the same time, and I would like to learn how to do that. When trees are swaying in a breeze, they seem to be working hard, tossing their limbs in an energetic way, but they also seem completely stress-free. Perhaps their secret is that they don’t resist the breeze. They simply lean back and let go, and the breeze actually does all the work, allowing the trees to sway forever and not grow weary. Also, leaves that fall in the autumn don’t seem to work hard as they float to earth, and yet in a matter of a few days they can cover hundreds of square miles of ground. This is an amazing achievement (one that would take we humans a supreme effort) and yet the leaves do this work in the most relaxed manner. What is more serene than a leaf drifting through the autumn air? A final example is snow. I always eagerly await the first snowfall of the season, because these armies of snowflakes are the most peaceful workers I have ever seen. Within a few hours, a nation of snowflakes can cover an entire city with a paralyzing sheet of white, and yet they do it in the quietest possible way. A snowstorm has a way of combining tranquility with effort, and it’s something I admire. Perhaps my goal in life is to live like snowflakes live – with both enthusiasm and serenity.


MP3 File

No comments: