If We Are To Thrive

Go ahead, worry. Cry, and whine. Complain about it, contradict others, or simply let your rudeness surface. Sure, we want to play it safe, and no one is about to get fired, or disapproved by an authoritative figure or someone who has a power over us. What bonds us are favors granted, and so we must give of ourselves, whatever it is we have to share or give away, thoughtful gifts, of course, always with an strategic mentality. Expect the world, and the world will be expecting you. Most of our ailments, sadly, are imaginary. So long as we have health, work and a decent place to live; so long as we have goals, and day by day put more of us into the effort, extend our kindness, promote tolerance and neutrality, find solace and quietude... we can only be unhappy if we are unbalanced.
In Buddhism, The Middle Path refers to as a neutral or rather central ground. Siddhartha, who would later become the Buddha, was born a kingdom's prince who abandoned his privileged place in society to a life of uncertainty, in order to find a simple truth: the answer to why is there so much suffering in the world. He found the ascetic life not to be his thing. Also, excessive richness... and so he concluded that life should be lived in the midway. That is, party, just don't lose your head over it, and, more importantly, walk your own path. In Buddhism, there's a saying: "If you find Buddha, kill him." (Not to be taken literally.) Meaning, your own path is even more important than finding Buddha.
Buddhism is not egotistical like the Christian God. In fact, it rids you of yourself without the guilt trip, it delivers. You can only attain Nirvana (here on earth, and not in the rewards of a promised afterlife, like Christianity pretends) if you learn to truly let go, and you can only truly let go if you stop for a moment just being yourself. Losing yourself in yourself is the Nirvana.
Just let go of all thoughts, concentrate on your breathing... breathing in slowly, exhaling even slower, and then repeating the process. The idea is, No idea. After all, knowledge is an illusion. What we do know is this: we are always knowing some more, and putting to rest the mental dust, old notions, extinct theories... the study is ever evolving. No day will come in which there are no needs. We need food; we need love and tenderness; we need friends; we need family; we need shelter; we need silence; we need one another, if we are to thrive.

Tomorrow Is Today

Tomorrow, I'll get up late, have a coffee and a cigarette and listen music. Two things, though: I must do laundry and grocery shopping. I, too, will cook the meal to take to work. And still throw out more old clothes. I must redefine my style; be more modern, in a much better shape. I am in good shape; I just want to be a little better than I am everyday.
Took care of work, the kid, Elizabeth, took them out, spent quality time Esteban, did some chores, and still I haven't come around to studying the material. My mind is elsewhere.
Better get back to responsibility, take charge again and do so both quickly and head-on. Read the line, take action and just sit back and enjoy rest of the time.

Needful Things

• Dirty clothes container.
  

• Incense’s ash container.

• A mirror.

• A night table lamp.

• Crazy glue.

• A 16GB iPhone.

• A small bag to keep toothbrush and the likes.

• A hammer and nails.

• Dish detergent; floor and surface detergents; paper towels and toilet, etc.

• Ironing table.

• A cabinet.

• A nice closet.

• A cool digital camera.

Ten Things To Do This Week

• Wake up before noon.
• Call Isabel and get grocery shopping done for the week. Make sure it's all healthy stuff.
  
• Organize the room.
• Pay this week's rent ahead of time.
• Put aside $100 to buy 32GB iPhone.
• Pay Cablevision bill.
• Hit the gym before work.
• Write, write, write!
• Study the FSD manual.
• Spend more time with Esteban.
• Don't go out.
• Quit smoking.
• Talk to Rossi about paying for the room monthly.
  
• Run, run, run!