During war and peace we grow & learn

The samurai gets trained during battles as well as in peaceful times.

The samurai takes the sword out only when needed, and keeps it in many more times when tempted

He understand that life is all about sacrifice - transforming the mundane into holy.

Therefore, he watches his stand even when smiling to the neighbours.

Makes serving tea a ritual to honour his guests, and not happy with that, keeps his attention focus on them, so to serve their desires with the kindest gestures.

He knows that battles are unavoidable, because we even ought to fight with ourselves every so often. But a good samurai chooses his battles; only entering those, that despite the result, will bring into his soul honour and growth.

She will always walk as if carrying her uniform and sword, because she knows that the lethal weapon is not hanging from her waist, but residing within. She also recognises that her investiture enters the room before she does.

She also knows that her strength doesn't come from her body, therefore nourished her fearful soul with war tales and music. She creates space for silliness to exist and behaves as if her mental capabilities were gone. She knows that wisdom can only arrive when the blurry line between logic and madness disappears.

The samurais are just like any of us, walking around in a troubling world, chased by the fears of the common live, and succumbing into the insecurities' voids. The only difference is that once the samurais have fallen down, they realise:

That habits, as well as muscles, get developed only with repetitions. So stand up once more and start  again.

V.

How long will it take?

We are sitting on the bench, staring at the emptiness that fills the world.

I dare to ask a question that I know I shouldn't, but can't refrain - when will it be enough?

And there it comes the answer, sharp, straight, merciless:

Have you ever watch humans grow?

It takes them a life time to master the most important, yet basic, principles.  

It takes around 9 months to develop their initial version, one that is far from being able to survive on its own.

Have you ever seen how many years does it take, to any given human, to develop the ability to provide their own food and shelter? - and unsurprisingly enough it takes them longer as we speak.

Do you think 1 year is enough? - go out on the quest to find a toddler that with only 1 year is able to talk fluently.

Do you think then 10 years is enough? - recruit all those kids that can hunt&harvest by themselves at that age

But what am I saying?, if this is something you've already experienced.

It will only take few minutes to ask your mom how long it took you to be half as independent as you are today. 

Or simply ask yourself how many time did you have to repeat the same habit before it stuck with you.

In any case, if that question has to be answer, this will be it best matching pair:

It will be enough the day you have master that quest and the next repetition will be meaningless. How much time will it take is an irrelevant question. We've lost perspective on how long things take, because we don't see trees grow and turtles age that ever so often.

The question was answered, the silence was filled and the silliness released in to the void.
This mere act transformed into a higher form of energy.

I smile, because I know this is the answer I tend to forget.

V. 

Learning together

Would I be protected? - the child asked

Everyday, even those you think you are not - answered the wise man.

If I lose my shelter, would I be covered - asked the teenager

You will my dear child - answer the sage woman.

If the worst come to my life and I can't find my way out of it, would you take me out - asked the adult

I can't move you from where you decide to be, but I can shine the light on you, so the path lightens up - answer the enlightened kid.

What should I do if the ends knocks at my door when I'm not expecting it and asks if I've done all I dream of and completed all those things I've committed to - asked the old men

You should answer the true as there is nothing to hide, because when the end comes, there is no extra day to finish the open stories - answered the angelic baby.

And that what's the way ancient men and women learned from each other.

V.

The messenger

I'm the messenger
Delivering the intangible
Bringing warmth with feelings
And feelings of warmth

I'm the messenger
Dropping a kiss sent from afar
Traveling through space and time
Perpetuating the moment that never occurred

I'm the messenger
Filling the soul with the essence of the unknown
Scaring the mind with uncertainty's veil
Delivering whispers to the closed eyes.

I'm the messanger
The one that connects what distance keeps apart
And as such, I'm here to deliver this message:

In the mist of the unknown 

I can't do for you what you ought to do

I can't promise eternal company

But today, I'll give you my finest thoughts

I'll sent my warmest hug and a tender kiss

And give you company even in the distance.

Tomorrow, we shall see.

V.

The light

When we are asked to turn on the light, we tremble...

We tremble because we believe it might not bright enough.

We shake just by thinking that it could be consumed by others

We fear that it will only attract the bugs and it eventually become darkness

If we could only remember...

That light can't be destroy as it isn't contained anywhere

Even a dim light, will illuminate our path

And the sun shines for us,  yet doesn't get consumed 

V.

Simple pieces of truth

As I travel around, in this particular train, that takes me through different worlds and shows me a window framed reality, I discover simple truths:

- Life is a beautiful experience, stained with preconception that, rather often, have no real foundation.

- A life with purpose is the best companion for Love, as it nourish it with joy. Yet, we tend to nourish Love with bitterness, because we forget about purpose and/or believe Love is a replacement

- Happiness is a status that can be achieved by doing what you want. But "want" has been banned from us since the very beginning.
And still today we think "doing what you want" is a very risky statement...

...and I agree! It might take you out of the routine ;)

- We are afraid of failure, but we don't realize that we are already experts, as we regularly fail to be fulfilled

- A smile, a hug, an act of kindness will soften even the tightest hearts... And still, sharing such things isn't a worldwide practice

- We complain because is the easiest option. And there is a seldom link with the fact that it is our only option and/or there is nothing we can do to change the cause of our complain.

- "This is the way I am" is the sentence that summarizes
"I haven't invested effort/time/money on an engaged/patiently/committed manner; to understand&develop another way, so as a result of that decision I'll  remain on my original way"

... And I agree, the second sentence is just too long :)




If you read this lines to some people, soon you'll find one person that will challenge them, because there are always exceptions, and it doesn't matter if those exceptions represent 10% of the population... They still should be consider with the same weight as the more regular cases.

Conclusion: smile, it will take you sometime to find that 10% and ask them what resonates with them :)




V.

Transformation

Sometimes we believe that, what we are is all there is

We cling to everything we previously had 

Unable to let go, despite the fact that it doesn't belong to us anymore.

Often, we invested so much time and effort on becoming who we are

That we can't believe is no longer true.

Everything around us changes, but we try to stay the same.

Deep inside us we are afraid that changes are going to take away who we are

We don't quite see that a tree is still a tree, even when it loses its leaves every single year.

Transformation happens all over, on our body, mind, soul and planet

It's a constant renewal that happens all around 

And with every shift something comes in and something goes out.

But we try to hold that exchange

Forgetting that if we don't let the roots grow we might never see the tree

And that the tree only become tall and robust after many winters.

We think that holding up to our believes is what keep us being who we are

But who we really are?

Are we the leaves that die every single year 

Or are we the tree that is growing stronger with every change.

V.

We've made it, I'm here

And then I woke up,

I was there

In the place I've dreamed about.

The windows let the light in

My heart absorbed it and served light in return.

I was there...

Nowhere else

I smile,

We've made it

I'm here!

There is beauty on the path

But also beauty when recognising the walked distance.



We've made it, I'm here, thanks.

V.

Re-wiring

Lead your life like a master teaches the pupil:


if you are living the drama

Catch yourself and start all over again

when you complain about that mistake

Catch yourself and start all over again

if you are contemplating the flower and thinking about the birds

Catch yourself and start all over again

if it doesn't make sense now

Catch yourself and start all over again

...

You are re-wiring your brain

V.