Sunday Reflection

We were visited on Sunday by two of our grandsons. Their parents came, too, but these visits are all about the grandchildren. Our youngest grandchild, a five-month old boy, sat up on his own for the first time at our home yesterday. He was immensely pleased with himself, as were his proud parents. Meanwhile, our 3 1/2-year old grandson was doing two things that excited him. First, he repeatedly walked on top of the five-inch wide, curved concrete border that surrounds the grassy area of our backyard, something he started doing right after he learned to walk. Even though the border is only about an inch high, he takes on this challenge like he's in the Flying Wallenda family. He would alternate this activity with trips out the front door where he would ride his three-wheeler along the neighborhood sidewalk as far as his observant mom would allow. In each activity he was happy, fully engaged, and clearly focused on the simple path in front of him - a little like the Super Chief riding on its rails through some scenic countryside.

In reflection, and again casting back to youthful days when life was simpler, I found myself envying the example being set for me. In my profile here, I've referred to myself as a serious student of Buddhism, which, unfortunately, is not the same thing as a serious practitioner. My meditative practice and my commitment to the Eightfold Path have been sporadic and undisciplined. I wish I could "just sit" and find the joy my youngest grandson found on our floor. And, I wish I could step out the "front" or "back" door and get on my path of choice and follow it, again and again, and find the joy my grandson found on the concrete paths around our home. I engage with my path, but I lack his focus. As a result, I never get all the way around the yard or the neighborhood. The "observant" parent in my head keeps sending me off in other directions, right or left, forward or back, past or future, leaving me to envy the other "kids" who live and play in the here and now.