Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Autobiography in Five Chapters

I recently came across this poem while reading "The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying." I know, light reading. The book begins by saying that the way to best live life is to know and understand death. It goes on to say that most Western folk go out of their way to avoid thinking of death, or even talking about it. This well predicts the reactions on peoples faces when they see what I'm reading.

Why am I reading it? Dunno. Why do we do anything? :) I bought it in London, never had time to read, now I have time, so I guess it's time.

Well, that, and I'm all into Buddhism and Toaism and meditation and such. I'm continually amazed at how the raw fringes of cutting-edge science is uncovering truths long taught by the Eastern mystics - but I'm tangeting...

Anyway, given that tomorrow I embark on a new journey - the start of the rest of my life, I think it's appropriate to repost here.

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Autobiography in Five Chapters
(author unknown (to me))

1) I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost . . . I am hopeless.
It isn't my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

2) I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
But it isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

3) I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in . . . it's a habit.
My eyes are open
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

4) I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

5) I walk down another street.

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