I was sitting in Lenscrafters waiting for the sales guy to type in all the pertinent information for me to order new glasses (Maya snapped mine apart while 'trying them on' yesterday), feeling totally uninspired by the experience, when out of nowhere came this big feeling of: I feel totally and completely happy in my life right now. It whacked me on the forehead and I looked up at the guy stealthily thinking 'did you see that?' but he didn't notice anything. Wow. I think it's all this rethinking my kids' education and how well my family has been getting along and how great it is to stay in touch with people by webbling and having good talks with Billy all rolled together.
This reminded me that Buddhism teaches that happiness is not something fleeting that you have to long for when it's not there and guard jealously when it is, trying not to think too hard about others' unhappiness lest it rob you of yours, but is always there inside us, waiting to be acknowledged and is also in the connections that we make with everybody, whether they are in pain or not. Min, did I get that right?
Posted by Bahiyyih at March 14, 2004 04:48 PMBahiyyih- I'm so happy for you that you had that moment of "I'm so happy with life!". I love those moments. Everything feels so...I don't, I guess free and joyous. Your family is so wonderful -Brent and I come home so refreshed and giddy whenever we come back from a visit. And kudos to Billy for helping us all stay extra connected via webbling!!
Posted by: liza at March 14, 2004 10:23 PMBahiyyih,
Thank you so much for writing this.
I have been having these moments, too, on "ordinary" days, doing regular things, thinking, "This is is definitely the happiest day of my life."
I am involved in this group of Baha'is and we're trying so damn hard to find a way to reach the clear space of love with each other.
You know how 'Abdu'l-Baha, after turning the first shovelful of earth in Wilmette said, "The Temple is already built"? Well, I think that desire must be that powerful.
It is such a great bounty to live with kids (okay, can be a tiring bounty!) who try on yer stuff and wreck it. It provides a constant shoring up: "What's REALLY important to me now?" I think that the broken stuff can't be what's important, and if it is, we gotta think it over, and fast!!
Thank you for the webbles. They are helping me.
Love you all,
Debbie
Posted by: debbie at March 15, 2004 01:27 PMDear Billy:
ˇhanks for removing the stuff I didnt like from the site.
I wondered why I hadnt been getting new things from one of you and glad that Bahiyyih and the girls are having a good time on a vacation. You are such a special family and doing things with the kids I never would have thought of in my younger days. Life is too short not to enjoy every minute of it.even the hard things.
Love, Patty