4/20/2022

My Dear Friend & POTUS, JRB,

            “You are a Masterpiece in the Making.”

It’s my latest chapter in Dalai Lama (DL) & Desmond Tutu’s (DT), “Book of Joy” where DL reminds us that we have to cultivate mental immunity by harnessing our thought patterns to avoid destructive emotions & DT advises that we will all make regrettable mistakes, but we shouldn’t beat ourselves up. I look forward to learning more about the masterpiece part.

            As I strive to learn about Buddhism, I am having trouble with the idea of “empty self.” Even harder, is the idea that reality is an illusion. I used to perplex myself by thinking these thoughts when I was 11, but I didn’t have anyone to talk with about them & I was driving myself crazy, so I shoved them aside.

While I am not sure how it helps me to think of myself as “empty,” I am intrigued by the idea of looking for “spaces between” rather than looking at the objects that are in front of me. So rather than focus on the enormous pecan tree that stands outside my window, I focus on the expanse of air between it and the locust on the other side of the Green. “Seeing” that space excites anticipation for the bird or butterfly that might fly through it. Noticing the void creates wonder, sparks curiosity, excites imagination. That’s a good place to dwell in, so I will try to stay there today.

Speaking of “seeing spaces,” I was thrilled to read in today’s Sac Bee, that Gabe Kapler,

manager of the SF Giants used his imagination in a challenging moment to put Alyssa Nakken in as 1st base coach after his usual guy got kicked out for making a racist comment to his Padre’s counterpart.  He took a bad situation & turned it into what the Bee called, a “game changing” moment. Women coaching men, don’t you love it?

                  At your dinner tonight, please tell your military guys to start “seeing spaces” as they strive for peace in the world, especially in Burma.

                  BYBS,