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Sometimes I wonder why we are doing this...

Sometimes I wonder why we are doing this…

A fair question.

At the end of the day’s driving and after suffering a flat tire in the middle of nowhere, a fridge that’s on the fritz and a crew bordering on mutiny, this is a question, I indeed, ask myself.

The answer lies in a book that we carry, ‘The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying’ by Sogyal Rapinoche,  It has a chapter in it on impermanence. This chapter made a deep impression upon me, as he talks about the nature of the Ego to become fixated  and attempts to create anchors of familiarity that, in effect, deny the basic impermanence inherent in all of life. He described the Western character that seeks to create the illusion of permanence through living in a house and obtaining all the things we use in a material sense that denies this central tenant of  impermanence.  He told a story about the Tibetan nomadic life that supported the realization of the natural flow of life through the depiction of his ancestors.  They carried only what they needed and stayed in any one spot as long as it supported their needs.

I am not sure that we have entirely learned this important lesson, but the changing landscape in which we are immersed holds the revelation of beauty and freshness possible with every moment that unfolds.  To witness the views we have, our ever changing ‘backyard’ is enough to remind me why we are doing this…

 

 

2 thoughts on “Sometimes I wonder why we are doing this…

  1. My dear Tom,
    What a deep thoughts you wrote! About ‘impermanence'( in Dutch: onbestendigheid ). And a Tibetan book about the nomadic way of life. . .
    Your words remembered me of an old christian hymn, I learned in my youth ( in Dutch; let Annet translate it to you ):
    ” Niets is hier blijvend.
    Alles, hoe schoon ook zal eenmaal vergaan.
    Maar wat gedaan werd uit liefde voor Jezus,
    dat houdt zijn waarde
    en zal blijven bestaan “.
    In short: Love is more valuabale than all our material goods! I think in general you’ll agree with this. But also when the tire of your RV is flat and your need a new one . . ? I think, that the beautiful pictures you send us, afterall better express why you still hold on to your nomadic life in spite of all the misfortune.
    And did you relief your rebelling crew from jail?
    With lots of love for all of you,
    DICK

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