Opportunity or Suffering

I deeply enjoyed this wisdom teaching offered by Richard Rudis, an expert Tibetan Singing Bowl healer, in his recent newsletter, Dharma Tapestry.  -jd An old beggar has been sitting by the side of the same road for thirty years asking for hand outs - for he had nothing. A stranger walked by: "Spare some change?" the beggar asked. "Sorry, I have nothing to give you," said the stranger, “ but what's that you're sitting on?" "Just an old box,” replied the beggar, “I've been sitting on it for as long as I can remember.” “It appears to me to be a curious thing - have you ever look inside?," asked the stranger. "No," said the beggar, "What's the point, there's nothing in there." "How can you be so certain," insisted the stranger. So the beggar, reluctantly, managed to pry open the lid and find, to his astonishment, it filled with gold. (based on a parable told by Eckhart Tolle) In my life, from time to time, I have been both the stranger and the beggar - I imagine we all have been. I sometimes find myself rooted in place, certain of my surroundings, my lot-in-life, my past - present & future, disregarding (or even worst un-recognizing) the many opportunities that are naturally presented to me daily. Recently I was confronted with a change that was unexpected, unwanted and undesirable. Fixed in my position I mentally ranted at the situation while physically accepting and halfheartedly moving forward. Life is a funny old place - isn’t it? I know better yet lost in the unwanted I attached myself to the apparent suffering of change and failed to ask myself; what treasure am I ignoring? How can I pry open this lid? I am still looking for the gift but hopefully now I’ll see it as it presents itself. Namaste, Richard Rudis (Karma Sonam Dorje)