Just a wee story...
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 284
Just a wee story...
I had a quiet evening planned, and that is what I got, but it came in a way I had not planned...
I live on my own now, so I'm entirely in charge of my own schedule and activities, and for right now I think that's beautiful. I decided to drive into town, stopped by the library to pickup books I had requested... A couple of young adult fiction books and The Tao of Pooh. My plan was to spend an hour getting some rest at acupuncture, pickup my weekly produce box, and go home to make dinner and snuggle by the fire in my cozy house and read one of my book options. Well, my nap at acupuncture apparently lasted for 2 hours instead of one, and dinner would end up being very late. So, I changed my plans (as per my pleasure!) and walked to the local Thai restaurant for some soothing soup and a quick read about the Chinese philosophy epitomized by Pooh.
This is where my evening plans left my control... It felt like a spontaneous episode of "This Is Your Life!"
Inside the restaurant were two pairs of people, sitting at tables on opposite sides of the room. I sat at a table in the middle. At one table was a youngish couple, and they were very unhappy with each other. Curse words and insults were hurled across the table in a muffled but barely controlled way. The woman threatened to leave, and I was silently cheering her on. But then, he started sounding pitiful, "No, please don't leave..." Yah. She didn't leave, but backed down instantly, just in time to take a few more personal insults. Turns out, this fuss was ostensibly all over a disagreement about whether the egg rolls that had been delivered to the table were gluten free. Wow. I've been there. Not exactly there, but definitely have found myself arguing to the teeth about something much bigger in the disguise of something much smaller. I sent a silent prayer to the universe that they could each find peace in their lives. And, then, I ordered my soup...
The other couple was a pair of middle-aged women discussing their intricate histories with drug addicts, alcoholics, and mentally disordered people. They each took turns, it seemed, taking on the role of therapist. They asked each other questions like "why do you think you reacted that way?" Or, "when did you realize..." Yah. I've been there too, slightly obsessed with my past. Well, to be honest, I'm still there. I have similarly obsessive conversations with some of my girlfriends whenever we chat. But, really, I know there is more to life than arguing or obsessing. I offered a silent prayer to the universe that these women find peace in their recovery. Then, I opened my new library book and began to read...
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The Tao of Pooh - from the Foreword
"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh" said Piglet, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"
"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"
"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.
Pooh nodded thoughtfully.
"It's the same thing," he said.
"What's that?" the Unbeliever asked.
"Wisdom from a Western Taoist," I said.
"It sounds like something from Winnie-the-Pooh," he said.
"It is," I said.
"That's not about Taoism," he said.
...
"What do you think it's about?" I said.
"It's about a dumpy little bear that wanders around asking silly questions, making up songs, and going through all kinds of adventures, without ever accumulating any amount of intellectual knowledge or losing his simpleminded sort of happiness. That's what it's about," he said.
"Same thing," I said.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hmmm......
I finished up my soup peacefully even as the remarkably incompatible pair of conversations were erupting around me. The owner smiled at me and gave me an extra chocolate with my check. And, as I walked out the door, I attempted a simpleminded smile at the way the universe teaches us about ourselves.
Funny universe.
Fathom
I live on my own now, so I'm entirely in charge of my own schedule and activities, and for right now I think that's beautiful. I decided to drive into town, stopped by the library to pickup books I had requested... A couple of young adult fiction books and The Tao of Pooh. My plan was to spend an hour getting some rest at acupuncture, pickup my weekly produce box, and go home to make dinner and snuggle by the fire in my cozy house and read one of my book options. Well, my nap at acupuncture apparently lasted for 2 hours instead of one, and dinner would end up being very late. So, I changed my plans (as per my pleasure!) and walked to the local Thai restaurant for some soothing soup and a quick read about the Chinese philosophy epitomized by Pooh.
This is where my evening plans left my control... It felt like a spontaneous episode of "This Is Your Life!"
Inside the restaurant were two pairs of people, sitting at tables on opposite sides of the room. I sat at a table in the middle. At one table was a youngish couple, and they were very unhappy with each other. Curse words and insults were hurled across the table in a muffled but barely controlled way. The woman threatened to leave, and I was silently cheering her on. But then, he started sounding pitiful, "No, please don't leave..." Yah. She didn't leave, but backed down instantly, just in time to take a few more personal insults. Turns out, this fuss was ostensibly all over a disagreement about whether the egg rolls that had been delivered to the table were gluten free. Wow. I've been there. Not exactly there, but definitely have found myself arguing to the teeth about something much bigger in the disguise of something much smaller. I sent a silent prayer to the universe that they could each find peace in their lives. And, then, I ordered my soup...
The other couple was a pair of middle-aged women discussing their intricate histories with drug addicts, alcoholics, and mentally disordered people. They each took turns, it seemed, taking on the role of therapist. They asked each other questions like "why do you think you reacted that way?" Or, "when did you realize..." Yah. I've been there too, slightly obsessed with my past. Well, to be honest, I'm still there. I have similarly obsessive conversations with some of my girlfriends whenever we chat. But, really, I know there is more to life than arguing or obsessing. I offered a silent prayer to the universe that these women find peace in their recovery. Then, I opened my new library book and began to read...
----------------------------------------------------------
The Tao of Pooh - from the Foreword
"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh" said Piglet, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"
"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"
"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.
Pooh nodded thoughtfully.
"It's the same thing," he said.
"What's that?" the Unbeliever asked.
"Wisdom from a Western Taoist," I said.
"It sounds like something from Winnie-the-Pooh," he said.
"It is," I said.
"That's not about Taoism," he said.
...
"What do you think it's about?" I said.
"It's about a dumpy little bear that wanders around asking silly questions, making up songs, and going through all kinds of adventures, without ever accumulating any amount of intellectual knowledge or losing his simpleminded sort of happiness. That's what it's about," he said.
"Same thing," I said.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hmmm......
I finished up my soup peacefully even as the remarkably incompatible pair of conversations were erupting around me. The owner smiled at me and gave me an extra chocolate with my check. And, as I walked out the door, I attempted a simpleminded smile at the way the universe teaches us about ourselves.
Funny universe.
Fathom
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 284
Yah... Maybe I am a bit hyper-alert to "couple interactions" around me lately. It is a safe way to reflect on my own ways of interacting though. Maybe it's a good thing. I know being single is being good to me right now!
Loving being ME the way I want to be!
Peace,
Fathom
Loving being ME the way I want to be!
Peace,
Fathom
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Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: W Washington
Posts: 11,589
fathom - great share and great insight. thanks! oddly enough I have the Tao of Pooh on my Audible wish list - I just have to get thru the current book which is trying way too hard to be a moving tale of life and love....all i'm thinking is "good god, can we just get ON with it???" 
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Florida
Posts: 6,780
I love that book, I need to go back & re-read that one too, thank you.
What an surreal, beautiful experience... caught between two realities at a moment of such heightened awareness within yourself. Thank you SO MUCH for sharing & inspiring my morning!
What an surreal, beautiful experience... caught between two realities at a moment of such heightened awareness within yourself. Thank you SO MUCH for sharing & inspiring my morning!
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Join Date: Dec 2004
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Originally Posted by Fathom 
The owner smiled at me and gave me an extra chocolate with my check. And, as I walked out the door, I attempted a simpleminded smile at the way the universe teaches us about ourselves.
Funny universe.
Fathom
Funny universe.
Fathom
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 284
Ha! Well, honestly, I'm only a few pages into The Tao of Pooh, and it's really a pretty short book. I was a bit distracted during dinner and kept reading the same passages over and over again. But, so far, it is a whimsical fun read of how we can find peace and happiness in a world of difficult lessons. I can't wait to spend a weekend with this book!
Peace,
Fathom
Peace,
Fathom
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