thoughts about suffering, the under current in my mind today as we went about the business of mending fence, conferring about and caring for Sunny Ray, and in indirect ways, conferring and caring about our Selves. It wasn't over till 8:30 pm.
it's dark now. quiet. the door is closed. Puppy has come in. SunnyRay has maneuvered himself into a sleep position, Talkie is on her sleeping twig. Doe Goats have decided to sleep in their Rain Shelter even tho it's not raining. Nogal, Jack Flash…quiet in however it is for them. Quiet. Here, suffering will sleep, fitfully, but sleep.
the War…no reprieve. Suffering there will not allow sleep.
and everywhere, there are sufferings of all manner. Suffering. the bedrock teaching of Buddhism.
i began this morning around 4:30 am thinking about What gives Balm, Solace to the All Manner of Suffering? Because i guess i felt that our suffering here just added to the ever increasing weight of the Planet's, but that it was a True telling of our days. But how could that not be a burden?
and i read the FaceBook page of an old friend who just this week i had made contact with after many many years of none. It was for a purpose separate from the making contact but it acted to do that and what a Relief this is. To say….after so many years, i am sorry.
This friend, Much younger than i am. She wrote about her day of chemotherapy. Which is ongoing and of long term now. Her waking to it's aftermath. as she does, over and over with days inbetween. that she writes about. Rene. Suffering. But when we spoke on the phone after years of not speaking, there was no hesitation, no gap, only the love that had been originally there. We spoke some about our circumstances Now, but mostly we spoke about our mutual concern for another friend. And i thought about this this morning. What is it about reconnecting with her, about reading about her morning today in her life that is Strong with suffering and determination……and so HONEST. Why and How it was/is to me a balm. a place of solace in my world of dog fear, wounded Goat, War. i continue to think but right off, it is because of the honesty. the Love. the Presence of her. She shows up. I think it's the showing up. With whatever it is that we are witness to and the telling of that.
Tay was out near the Curry House where SunnyRay is convalescing…and burst into a bark alert. SunnyRay screamed. if a Goat can. Cried out. Fear. Shrill. this is not War. what might it be like….There. ?
i tried and could find no attribution for this photograph.

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