On The Right Track

foto: johnscutter.com

Have you ever noticed that stories and parables that are considered “spiritual” are almost always set in far-away places, and distant, exotic lands where history has the last say? Not in small town America, or on a farm in Mexico, or in a vineyard in Austria or Australia, but rather near an ancient river or stream or cave or forest or even on the high seas. Well, we’ll let you In on a secret. Maybe not a secret, but it’s usually to grab your attention and imagination and bring that home.

This time maybe start your tale at the kitchen table and imagine that, instead of being with tigers who talk and fish who can swallow you whole, you just missed a football game on TV and in this moment don’t know the next thing to do in life, or want to take a nap, or really have a craving for pasta. It’s all OK. Because as long as you’re still looking around with appreciation for all you have, all those you love and have loved, view your neighbors as friends and those you don’t know with respect and compassion, try to instill peace and harmony in your world, let the fly out of the window instead of chasing him into a room, tell your dog he’s a “good boy,” and give the next kid you know or see a big smile… well. you’re on the right track, and there are a lot of stories yet to be written. You don’t have to wear a kaftan, speak in tongues and sit in meditation for hours. You can... but you don’t have to.