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viewsi would rather be fooled than not believe ~
By heatherlaree, Tuesday, January 17, 2012, 6 comments
"I would rather be fooled than not believe"
This daily passage from the book below so touched and moved me that I wanted to share. Wishing you a day touched with kindness and being who you are, doing what you do, because...
From "The Book of Awakening ~ Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have" ~~ by Mark Nepo
The Spider and the Sage
I would rather be fooled
than not believe
In India, there is a story about a kind, quiet man who would pray in the Ganges River every morning. One day after praying, he saw a poisonous spider struggling in the water and cupped his hands to carry it ashore. As he placed the spider on the ground, it stung him.
Unknowingly, his prayers for the world diluted the poison in him.
The next day the same thing happened. On the third day, the kind man was knee deep in the river, and, sure enough, there was the spider, legs frantic in the water.
As the man went to lift the creature yet again, the spider said, "Why do you keep lifting me? Can't you see I will sting you every time, because that is what I do."
And the kind man cupped his hands about the spider, replying, "Because that is what I do."
There are many reasons to be kind, but perhaps none is as compelling as the spiritual fact that it is what we do.
It is how the inner organ of being keeps pumping. Spiders sting. Wolves howl. Ants build small hills that no one sees. And human beings lift each other, no matter the consequence.
Even when other beings sting.
Some say this makes us a sorry lot that never learns, but to me, it holds the same beauty as berries breaking through ice and snow every spring. It is what quietly feeds the world.
After all, the berries do not have any sense of purpose or charity. They are not altruistic or self-sacrificing. They simply grow to be delicious because that is what they do.
As for us, if things fall, we will reach for them.
If things break, we will try to put them together.
If loved ones cry, will try to soothe them--because that is what we do.
I have often reached out, and sometimes it feels like a mistake. Sometimes, like the quiet man lifting the spider, I have been strung. But it doesn't matter, because that is what I do.
That is what we do. It is the reaching out that is more important than the sting. In truth, I'd rather be fooled than not believe.
Below are the optional meditations ~~
* Recall a time when you were kind for no reason. It could have been as simple as picking up what a stranger dropped. Or leaving an apple in the path of hungry birds.
* Meditate on what such acts have done for you . After being kind, have you felt lighter, more energized, younger, more open in your heart?
* Enter your day, not trying to consciously be kind, but rather with a kind outlook that allows you to naturally be who you are and do what you do.
**"spiderland" photo by knatecarter.com
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6 Comments
Beautiful...
Heather, wow! This was so beautiful. But not surprising, because your inner beauty always shines through on everything you write whether it is a blog or a blog comment. It is what you do. And thank you for doing it. (I'm posting this on Twitter right now. It's just so fantastic!)
Beaming back at you, Charlene!
So, THAT's why I'm all-a-twitter!! Thank you Beautiful Girl for sharing and sharing ~~~ It is what you do ... makes me smile. Love and Kindness and Laughter to you ALWAYS. xoxoxo love, heather
Loved this post Heather, and
Loved this post Heather, and I echo all the sentiments of Charlene above. You rock and we are soblessed to have you here on this site! You lift us UP!
I DO believe in kindnes and find it's amazing how much the smallest things I do seem to mean to others and vice - versa. You know- this is sort of an opposing view to the statement I heard- something like "when someone shows you who they are, believe them..."( I believe I heard Miss Oprah say that???) which I guess can be taken good or bad, depending on what someone has shown you. Sometimes, I feel intuitively about people and their motives, but I truely belieive, like your post says, "It is what I do...", I just try to be there with my eyes wide open and not get "stung" blindsided. But don't you think the guy in your story knew what was going to happen- he knew he was going to stung. What do you think?
Hello Beautiful Susan ~~ such
Hello Beautiful Susan ~~ such a presence (a good one)
In off-the-cuff response to your question -- "He" knew he would be stung, but his heart would be far more stung if he stood and watched the spider struggle, suffer, and die. He chose between his personal comfort and his spiritual kindness and compassion.
Regarding your Oprah quote, I heard this 100 years ago...
Trust people to be who they are.
Trust a thief to be a thief -- Meaning if you've been shown they're a thief, you can choose to be wise and aware -- a person who uses wisdom and awareness "with your stuff"... or, go ahead and trust they might steal - they might not--- but then don't be attached with blind hope and then feel hurt if they stole. Rambling but I hope clear enough.
The harder one is "the liar".
Years ago, I knew this dear guy who had a really big and loving heart but he felt compelled to lie...just about everything because that became the way he told himself that he needed to relate to the world. I just had to love him in the ways that I found precious and simply never believe him. He wasn't a love interest -- just a friend -- but I became aware and discriminating HOW I would be involved and with him trusting him to lie. I didn't want to put myself in a position of "needing" him because I knew he was capable of making lying more valuable then how he valued me. It wasn't personal - he was just a spider doing what he did. I guess it is called "having boundaries" and still having love. And, if Lewis was fighting for his life, I'd seek to help him even though I knew he was a liar. His lying wasn't poison in me - perhaps because of my boundaries with him ???
Even though love, kindness, compassion, caring are the vehicles of choice for me, I also employ a (mostly) finely tuned radar and a certain dose of neutrality and not emotionally depending ... or that's on a sliding scale with each person and even each person in whatever the theme seems to be going on in their current life chapter (as chapters change).
Blindsides are stunning -- but the relatively few I've experienced, they've been growth-producers. Once I got through making it "personal", I strengthen in my own love and seek to learn what was so "creatively delivered" to me!!
It's always such an exciting and delighting gift to trust those who exude goodness to do what they do... like the three amazing women here (and several others I would joyfully count here on skirt!). Thank you, Susan, for being who you are and for doing what you do.
Peace Dear You ~ Love, Dear Me xoxoxo
Wonderful post!
I have been buying a $10 gift card once a week when I go grocery shopping, for about a year now. And I give it to the person behind me in line. I just say, "This is for you it has $10 dollars on it. I do this every week to spread kindness."
I do it because someone did it to me and she changed my whole day. She changed the way start my day, with kindness in my heart.
The reactions I've received from the recipients has ranged from being offended that I would think they need $10 to tearful gratitude.
Everyone has kindness in their heart and some of us have been choosen to find it for them. You are one of them Heather.
creative spin!
Oh Suzanne ~~ What a beautiful act of kindness you do/give! I love that and had to laugh at some feeling offended. My mind just thought of, "Give the $10 gift card to the checker for her to give it the next person so it's anonymous... who knows, maybe the 2nd person will give it to someone else, who passes it to another until it reaches the absolute perfect recipient." Anyway... an idea (as I project how I don't think I would handle well - someone having an upset response)... of course, I'm babbling out loud here and will look a fun/creative ways with your idea. Thank you, Suzanne ~ YOU are a joy!! Love Love Love to you ~ heather
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