24/7

nothing more to say. you teach all day and then go to matches that last until 7.00ish, bringing the day to a 12-hour length. you come home, gobble some junk b/c you haven't eaten lunch since 11.00a.m.- only in schools. finally, you drift off in a haze in the chair. a vicious cycle. why i do it? well, the work part is the work part and at this point there's no career changing for me. the tennis part? i really don't know. the kick from competition. the satisfaction from a good win. the desolation from a bad loss (yesterday).

i was listening to audiodharma last night on the topic of Loving/Kindness. what struck me most was his use of the term "Bed stand Buddhist". isn't that great? armchair coach. backseat driver. Monday-morning quarterback. one who pretends but doesn't do. it all goes back to Yoda. "Do or do not. There is not try." I still think it's the best quote of all time. If you want to be a cyclist, Cycle. don't elaborate or contemplate the bike. Be the bike. if you fashion yourself a Buddhist, practice Buddhism. Don't just read about it. Duh, you the audience can get the point, but a great point it is. Buddhism is so much about slowing down, but when I find myself superbusy like this week, good practice is as far as away from me as i can imagine. disappointing.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Man, that hits home. For all the right reasons, I want to slow down. On a conscious level, I want to slow down. But, I keep racing along. My next three weeks at work will be fast, fast, fast culminating in the third week with a week-long meeting that will have folks flying in from around the country. I have to organize the information to make it useful. Again, on a conscious level, I don't like running around like this. But, I also get a little thrill from the challenge. And, that thrill is causing high blood pressure, anxiety and all the other associated bad things. I know that I am the only one who can slow my life down, but for some reason, I don't.

I will keep Yoda in mind at work today.
LvilleTex said…
well said on your part. and i think it's cogent and correct to note "I get a little thrill from the challenge". There has to be a bit of that, doesn't there?
Anonymous said…
You know, I originally typed "I will try to be like Yoda today" when I wrote that. That would have been pathetic if I had not caught it. I think it is a copout on my part. If I say "I will try" then I can believe I am working on it when in actuality I am not.

I don't struggle with drug and alcohol addiction (I do like the occasional beer, though). I put cigarettes down 16 years ago when I graduated from college with no trouble. My addiction to the "thrill" of being busy has not been so easy to walk away from.

On the positive side, I did manage to keep a balanced frame of mind today at work. Thanks for the early morning reminder.
amidnightrider said…
Biking and tennis. Not a bad combination. Not bad at all. Mine is similar, racquetball and biking.

Later.

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