How many times every day does our ego get in the way? Consider the following story of a Zen Master and his ability to live in the moment. It is easy to forget that there never is yesterday or tomorrow but only today - this moment. We have a choice how we deal with each moment.
Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakuin_Ekaku
A beautiful Japanese girl whose parents owned a food store lived near Hakuin. One day, without any warning, her parents discovered she was with child. This made her parents angry. She would not confess who the man was, but after much harassment at last named Hakuin.
In great anger the parent went to the master. "Is that so?" was all he would say.
After the child was born it was brought to Hakuin. By this time he had lost his reputation, which did not trouble him, but he took very good care of the child. He obtained milk from his neighbors and everything else the child needed.
A year later the girl could stand it no longer. She told her parents the truth - the real father of the child was a young man who worked in the fish market.
The mother and father of the girl at once went to Hakuin to ask forgiveness, to apologize at length, and to get the child back.
Hakuin willingly yielded the child, saying only: "Is that so?"
(from Reps, Paul; Nyogen Senzaki. Zen Flesh, Zen Bones: A Collection of Zen and Pre-Zen Writings. ISBN 0-8048-3186-6.)
How many daily situations run amok due to unrestrained ego. Learn from the story and take each day, each moment, one at a time.
(c) Jim Lindell - 2010