Spent a little time today just doing some small chores at our local temple. The simple joy of moving small pieces of wood from one place to another in preparation for Winter, Staging some of the wood for next Winter and moving some of it further away from other wood in case of fire before the rainy season starts. Simple basic things that are as old as humans gathering together for their common good. Then a rest and a snack and conversation with no great subject or intention, but touching on the the things that in fact do form and inform us in regard to our common good, common experience, common goals, common dreams and common hopes and the wonder at all that it is to be human.

Later, coming back to my space of living and having other discussions with neighbor- friends while watching a group of chickens scratching around in the garden and a couple of horse corrals, knowing that some of these lovely little beings will soon be given the axe for a number of reasons/necessities that create great conflict within their owner. A painful and very uneasy choice, a difficult decision that will have to be integrated into the owners life as it continues for another day (or 50 years), who knows? Thus an uncomfortable question comes in and may not go, and we wonder why we have discomfort and varying levels of anxiety that we can’t identify as to source or sometimes are even aware of.

The pain of life is real. The joy of life is real,

To the degree we let them control our next decision(s).

All the billions of difficult decisions made every day;

Day in. Day out. For as many days as there are or ever

Have been and lives that lived them. We act, react and err,

Then reach out to each other in an attempt to comprehend,

Through our words, feelings, stumbling, and unknowing; How

To grow this pain of life into love and understanding of our

Selves. This is the great quest.

The condition of human

Kindness.  All  ways  there.