Making a Difference.

This week’s topic for reflection is making a difference. We do many things everyday out of necessity or simple maintenance like washing the dishes or going to work to pay the bills. We also do things because we want to make a difference or make things better in the world.

As I see it, there are two basic ways to make a difference and both can be for good or bad. One is doing things that change the world around us. It could be giving money to feed the hungry or volunteering at a food bank. It could be planting trees. The other way is doing things that are intangible or what I would call spiritual. You can’t see it and it makes a difference. I see my Zen practice in this way.

How do you want to make a difference? This could be in a large way or small ways. What are your particular talents and abilities that make it possible for you to make a difference? What do you care about?

One small but significant way I want to make a difference is by being a kind and thoughtful person toward everyone I meet. One small way to do this is by simply noticing. What needs to follow is caring. Then possibly doing something or offering something helpful. It could be a smile or the simple greeting “Hi” or simply noticing. I am also putting attention toward doing things more carefully and thoroughly.

Now that some of us are retired we have more choice about what we want to do and more time to do it. Please join me in looking for meaningful ways to make a difference.

   Please join us for morning Zoom zazen from 7:00 to 7:30 Tuesday and Thursday, and Sunday morning Zoom zazen and discussion of the topic for reflection blog from 8:00 to 9:00 Pacific Time. Here’s the Zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81161003357?pwd=M0gwRjBENHZDbndUcFRrK004NlQ5Zz09

Meeting ID: 811 6100 3357

Passcode: 278259

Gassho,

Futai