Let it Be

Without trying to sound like the opening stanza, when I find myself in times of trouble, one thought occurs to me. 

The thought that despite all of my failures, all the mistakes, every time I had 50/50 odds to pick heads and it came up tails, the agonizing defeats, the hard lessons learned, and the bitter taste of humble pie, options exist. An unlimited number as long as I keep the streak alive. 

One option being that it is the current choice that matters. Everything else is history. And the history libraries are chock-full of stories about losing, about defeat, failure and loss. BUT. An equal number of them center on the pivotal point where the hero or heroine decided that TODAY IS THE DAY. A bold, courageous decision is made to act. To do something necessary. Something important. Something big, foreboding and probably dangerous. 

I was reminded this morning as I prepared our always enjoyable TGIM, Thank Goodness It’s Monday, spin class protocol that ‘Giving creates happiness while greed creates misery.’ Meaning that today my mission might be (could be and should be) to give until it hurts. And then give some more. 

Could this one decision change the sordid history that follows me like my shadow? No. Could it change the way I look at the path I have traversed? Unquestioningly. Could it possibly be the first of many more positive decisions to follow? Hope springs sternal. Could, therefore, this be the most important decision to date and the day in my life that can be seen as a turning point, even a Gladwell Tipping Point? Why not? 

There is a concept in Zen known as Kaizen. A rough translation suggests it to mean the philosophy of continuous improvement and personal efficiency. 

Personal efficiency being a malleable term including many elements we call upon during our daily practice. Awareness, kindness, sincere effort, sharing, doing no harm, loving our neighbor among them. 

This gives us all a wonderful opportunity to put our practice into play. We don’t need to wait for the game, match, set, championship, race or event. We can choose to do it today, now and here. Wherever our here is. 

We can accept the reality of our circumstance and strive for its improvement. We can find validity, value and virtue in the continual improvement of our holistic selves - and that of those in our care. 

We can Let it Be. We can bliss-out along the path of continual improvement and the endless search for personal efficiency. We can create happiness and reject misery. We can give. 

For though they may be parted, there is still a chance that they will see.

There will be an answer, let it be. Dejalo ser.