Meticulous effort.
This week’s topic for reflection is meticulous effort. The other day we were having some friends over for dinner and the house needed to be cleaned. Some of the cleaning was detailed and not easily noticed. As I began a simple, exacting cleaning task I became aware of the need to pay attention to detail and be patient with it. As I began to notice this detail and care about it, I lost the need for our quests to appreciate that this small aspect of the house was clean. What started as a burdensome effort turned into a caring, meticulous, joyful reveal. Being meticulous and caring about how I was doing it and appreciating how clean the floor board looked gave me joy. To do one thing and to do it really well can naturally lead to caring and intimacy. A small thing can be beautiful when the time is taken to care for it and appreciate it. I find the opportunity to be meticulous throughout the day during most activities. I can always look closer with more careful attention.
We recently moved from ten acres in the woods with places I almost never walked through. We had a house with many rooms with places to store all kinds of things, some seldom looked at or even needed. Now we live in town in a smaller house wth much less room for storing things. This house alone takes up most of the land it’s on. Due to my surroundings my perspective has changed from concern for the big picture to attention to small details. This is becoming a useful and needed opportunity.
This week please take the time to practice being meticulous. Not in an uptight pushy way but with patience because you care. Because it matters. The effort should flow easily and naturally. Take your time. Enjoy the result. Enjoy the moment.
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:
Meeting ID: 811 6100 3357
Passcode: 278259
Gassho,
Futai
Comments