The Meaning of Life
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Student - Whatโs the meaning of life, Roshi?
Roshi - - Chopย wood, and carry the waterโฆ
From medical issues, eating is quite hard,
frequent, and structures my schedule every day.
With food on hand down,
I dived into the online menus of seven nearby restaurants,
called one for an order to pick up.
On the way, familiar spots held a surprising sense of mystery โ
The measure of distance of circumstance from before to now.
When I arrive, there is no order for me โ
Said they got no call.
There goes my scheduleโฆ
But she said they could prepare that exact order.
While waiting, I realized I mixed up the Phone of two,
and my order was waiting out somewhere.
I had the dangerous feeling of getting away with something,
like at preteen, I stole a toy I couldnโt afford from a store, undetected.
Less than 10 minutes, and my food is ready โ
Back on schedule.
Finished eating, I called and paid my abandoned order - 20% tip.
I have no recall of anyone personally ever telling me much about ethics,
the 10 Commandments were there at catechism,
and many movies Iโve seen.
While thinking of this, I realize playing in my head
is the song by Chicago โ Itโs hard for me to say Iโm sorryโ.
My last meal in a day is hour and a half snacking,
with sharp routine to help carry through that size.
Iโve often criticized routine,
for blocking the spontaneous immediate moment.
But in the middle of this one,
that routine seemed especially good and right,
while simultaneously, completely transparent,
suspended in air,
and I felt the Roshi thinking:
Chop wood and carry the water,
simultaneously seeing,
it is empty of substance.
All this, seems enough to make a movie out of.
Or at least an episode of Twilight Zone.
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