Walk softly on this earth.
Hello Lovelies,
This morning I stepped on a snail. Don't panic....he's okay, well, mostly. I was barefoot so felt him right away and heard a tiny crunch of the top of his (her?) shell, so sad, and quickly lifted my foot. Then I crouched down beside him (her?) and he (she? I'll stop it now) emerged from his shell with his little feelers reaching out and started to slide along the floor of the laundry leaving a slimy trail behind him. I put my hand out and he slimed right onto it so I took him to show the boys and lament his injury then put him in the garden where he attached himself to a leaf and looked kind of okay. I hope so.
It reminded me that a couple of weeks ago I was in Woolworths reaching for some chicken thigh fillet from the top of the fridge cabinet and as I took it, a little further along another pack came loose and fell off the shelf. It fell really close to a lady beside me and landed at her feet. I apologized and picked it up and she said that it wasn't my fault but the shelves were stacked badly. Then when I looked at her, she seemed upset and I asked if she was okay and she said that the package had hit her head and she started to cry. I didn't think it had hit her but she was clearly upset and I offered to help but she rushed away seeming embarrassed and sad. Looking around the shop a minute later, she had simply disappeared. Again, I hope she's okay.
My point is that is hard not to harm anyone in this world. I have taken Buddhist vows called "Refuge vows" and number three is, "Not to harm others". But even though I try and have the intention not to cause harm, I still do. Buying the chicken in the first place is causing harm but my family still wants to eat chicken and it's my spiritual practice, not theirs.
As you might know, I have recently completed a novel and have a wish to see it published and read widely. Now, inevitably some people won't like my book, it will annoy them, maybe even upset them, who knows? And the website I am launching on the 6th of November, imagine365.org will no doubt piss some people off as well. Though of course that is not my intention, my intention is that it will make people happy, but some won't see it that way.
It could be paralyzing to to think too much like this. We'd be scared to move, to do or say anything and I suppose we have to keep on being in this world, being who we are and sharing that so we will sometimes cause harm. But I am glad to have the intention to avoid it and look forward to the day when I have the wisdom to be able to accomplish that. In the meantime.....sorry.
Have a peaceful weekend.
Love, love, love K.x
This morning I stepped on a snail. Don't panic....he's okay, well, mostly. I was barefoot so felt him right away and heard a tiny crunch of the top of his (her?) shell, so sad, and quickly lifted my foot. Then I crouched down beside him (her?) and he (she? I'll stop it now) emerged from his shell with his little feelers reaching out and started to slide along the floor of the laundry leaving a slimy trail behind him. I put my hand out and he slimed right onto it so I took him to show the boys and lament his injury then put him in the garden where he attached himself to a leaf and looked kind of okay. I hope so.
It reminded me that a couple of weeks ago I was in Woolworths reaching for some chicken thigh fillet from the top of the fridge cabinet and as I took it, a little further along another pack came loose and fell off the shelf. It fell really close to a lady beside me and landed at her feet. I apologized and picked it up and she said that it wasn't my fault but the shelves were stacked badly. Then when I looked at her, she seemed upset and I asked if she was okay and she said that the package had hit her head and she started to cry. I didn't think it had hit her but she was clearly upset and I offered to help but she rushed away seeming embarrassed and sad. Looking around the shop a minute later, she had simply disappeared. Again, I hope she's okay.
My point is that is hard not to harm anyone in this world. I have taken Buddhist vows called "Refuge vows" and number three is, "Not to harm others". But even though I try and have the intention not to cause harm, I still do. Buying the chicken in the first place is causing harm but my family still wants to eat chicken and it's my spiritual practice, not theirs.
As you might know, I have recently completed a novel and have a wish to see it published and read widely. Now, inevitably some people won't like my book, it will annoy them, maybe even upset them, who knows? And the website I am launching on the 6th of November, imagine365.org will no doubt piss some people off as well. Though of course that is not my intention, my intention is that it will make people happy, but some won't see it that way.
It could be paralyzing to to think too much like this. We'd be scared to move, to do or say anything and I suppose we have to keep on being in this world, being who we are and sharing that so we will sometimes cause harm. But I am glad to have the intention to avoid it and look forward to the day when I have the wisdom to be able to accomplish that. In the meantime.....sorry.
Have a peaceful weekend.
Love, love, love K.x
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