Road to Bliss

A few weeks ago I purchased, "A Brief History of Everything" on CD. I didn't like it. There was an excessive amount of odd jargon used to reinforce an odd construction of how to view the world. With each CD, the little voice in my head kept saying, "You know Jennifer, you don't have to finish every book you start." and I would reply, "Maybe the next CD will be better."

But last night, as I was driving home, the book reached a point where the framework developed meaning. The ideas swam about and one came up to me - that in X & Y Buddhist traditions that the path to enlightenment was just that - a path. The follower never arrives at a destination. The idea I caught next focused on how adherents to some Eastern traditions were required to take an oath where abouts they, as they found enlightenment, did not drift off into the bliss, focusing only on their path. Instead, the practitioners were required to teach and enlighten others so that all humans travel the path to nirvana.

I had put these thoughts away until I picked up little Tsui this morning. After spending a little time trying to face the mess that is my list of renewals for 2009, I decided to get me some dog love to lift the spirits.

Tsunami fits on my chest and she does this thing where she puts her nose down, covers it with a paw and then bursts out, and tries to kiss me - the french kind of kiss. Her attacks come at my mouth with tongue extended. She takes a few stabs at getting me and then ducks down again. I pet and nuzzle and she attacks again.

Everything else in the world vanishes. I'm left with Tsui and love. The future disappears, the past fades. She lives like this all the time. Just in the moment. This moment she sleeps at my feet. The next moment she sits & waits while I make her breakfast. Another moment she's got a leash on and we're out about town. I think she's already on the Zen path and clearly she's helping me along.