| Thinking Out Loud |
[26 Aug 2008|08:29am] |
It is often said that "clinging" or "craving" is the source of all suffering, and that a cessation of clinging or craving will bring about a cessation of suffering. Unfortunately, this is often heard as a recommendation against involvement, and a suggestion that detachment will end suffering.
Well, and perhaps it will: so will death.
A more auspicious solution, however, might be to remain engaged in life, but to cease wishing it were different. Which I realize is another suggestion open to misinterpretation. I don't mean "don't struggle against bad stuff." What happens to you may be a god's choice, but what you do about it is yours. You can rail and complain and cling to your unhappiness, or you can accept what's happened and work from there. Clinging to what you wish had happened, or what you hope will happen, or who's to blame, or what your expectations were, prevents you from working with what is.
To accept reality is not to approve of it. You need not like what's happened, you only need to stop clinging to your dislike, which is based entirely in "might-have-been" and thus blocks you from the present moment. (For which, read: "...from your life.")
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| Cars |
[26 Aug 2008|10:58am] |
It turns out that the little red car, which I bought in ND for $150 and which had been running very well indeed till we got here, but needed many repairs to make it fit for registration in this state (which requires more of its cars than ND does) has, while it sat waiting for repairs or a return to ND, turned to junk.
Alas, at this point the repairs would be far beyond its worth, even though it gets excellent gas mileage. Not only does it still need a catalytic converter and other such items for registration here, but during the year of its enforced rest its rubber parts have developed dry rot and its oil leaks have increased beyond all that is reasonable. Moreover, the repair person is not at all sure that he could get any replacement parts for it even if he tried to repair it.
It is to sigh. I did like that little red car; and it's not at all clear that the pickup (which gets half the red car's gas mileage) is any more fit to drive to ND than the car is. Next we'll have to take it in to the garage to see. And I guess the Red Cross will receive a gift of the red car, for whatever good it will do them.
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| "Shade" |
[26 Aug 2008|07:11pm] |
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Those of you who don't read Eat Our Brains may be unaware that Tor.com has published Steven Gould's short story "Shade" on the Web for our reading pleasure. Check it out. It's delightful.
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