Lesson 28 Live life to the fullest…
“Live life to the fullest!” It was the motto I had put besides my Skype ID when Jose came to me for the very first time, 4 years ago. At that time I already believed it was the secret of happiness.
But did I really grasp the deep meaning behind it? I don’t think so.
Days before, we were talking about Zen Buddhism, a topic we rarely talk about in fact.
Jose said, “I remember that when I met you your motto was “Live Life to the fullest!”, but do you know who are the persons who really live their lives to the fullest nowadays?”
I said, “No. Who?”
Jose said, “The monks.”
I was so surprised, “The monks?”
Jose nodded, “Yes, the monks who live in the temples.”
Suddenly I felt really funny because I believe that temples must be the most boring places around. Obviously, the monks surely should be the most bored people. So I said, “Come on Jose, life over there is so boring, how can they live their lives to the fullest?”
Jose said, “You believe that they are doing nothing there, right?”
“Sure.” I said, “Except sleeping, eating, and then preaching, what else are they doing?”
Jose smiled, “Most of the people believe that monks do nothing. But in fact they are doing a lot, and they are doing the most important thing. They are thinking.”
“Erhh?”
Jose asked me, “Ok. Eating, sleeping, making love, they are all animal behaviors. You are doing that, the other animals are doing that also. It is part of the animal nature. But have you ever seen a cat or a dog doing meditation or preaching?”
“Hahaha, No.” I laughed.
Jose smiled again, “Well, this is because only human beings can sit in meditation. Meditation builds a protective barrier around you and when you are thus protected you can see yourself much more deeply and clearly. In fact, by doing that, you are living your life to the fullest because seeing yourself from within is the most important thing for a human being.”
Jose kept talking, “Well, most people believe that living life to the fullest means that they need to do a lot of things; go to many places; meet more and more people but, in fact, living life to the fullest means doing less things; becoming more focused; going deeper within yourself; taking the time; becoming slower and slower; tasting fully every minute of your life; feeling it; enjoying it. Then, and only then, you will begin to see the time flowing in another way, you will begin to truly taste your life and begin to live it to the fullest.”
He then turned to me saying, “When you will be ready, I will teach you how to meditate.”
I laughed, “Hey, if you like Zen so much, why don’t you become a Bonze?”
Jose said, “Because my sex drive is very strong; I could not live without a woman, otherwise I think I would try it.”
Poof…
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