Of all the Graces praised
least in the West
but better understood in the East
is that of the ability
to Endure.
Not passivity,
but deep understanding given.
The Western view is that all is chard
and moments are all that matter.
But incidents and moment-pieces
are not lives or even a day given.
But enduring each moment
is better done
from understanding the whole
from which the moment comes.
Moments, the Easterners say
are not aggregated
taken together to make a day.
Rather a day is given as a whole
but in the West we pluck moments stray
and munch them according to our appetites.
But the East says each day the sun does not rise to greet a new moment; the Sun inaugurates a New Day.
So if this moment is now overwhelming
it means you missed the Sun-Rise Last
and will miss the Sun-Rise Next
because you latched onto a stray moment
which is but a chard of the whole day.
So, the wisdom here,
at least I think,
says
live not for the moment
for but the whole day
there is where salvation,
hope, love, and peace lay.
So if my life-goal is moment placed
there can be no peace
only schizophrenia.
Can I, for example, change my views
moment to moment
becoming a moment to moment changeling;
if I do, I drive myself crazy;
I will only know what I truly believe
if I am willing to endure
each moment to see what the whole day brings.
If life is a marching of days
it's is only clear sometimes
what it all means
or meant
at life's conclusive end.
Humm,
Let's us then not lose heart
and leave the movie
before the end or before the movie
even starts;
lean back
my Dad used to say
enjoy each scene
but don't mistake each scene
for the very very end;
Or for that matter,
each bad moment
as the whole day.
If whole societies adopt the Moment View
then you have America;
whip fast idolaters changing from moment to moment
with each fashion changing, the consumer religion
and all crave
living for the moment's thrill.
Contrast that to China say
where people save 20% of what they earn
and don't overspend
planning to endure, not the moment's embrace.
America used to be that way.
I can still hear my Grandmother say
a penny saved is a penny earned.
So what happened to us along the way;
this generation?
Humm
I think I will pause for a moment
and in doing so
lose my way.
