Being Sick With Seiko - Adapt

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  • Seiko
    Novice Priest-in-Training
    • Jul 2020
    • 1562

    Being Sick With Seiko - Adapt

    Please excuse me for running long.

    A young boy - I'd guess about 10 - stopped me today in the street and straight away said "are you blind?". No 'hello', just straight to the point. So I explained that I am partially sighted. Then he says "I've never met a blind person before". Sensing his curiosity I said "well do you want to ask any questions?". Again, he went straight for gold with "What's it like to be blind?". I told him it can be frustrating, when I try to do something, that I was able to do before, but that my eyesight is no longer good enough for some tasks. I went on to say that I expect he's seen people with just one arm, or people with one leg - or no legs and they seem to be getting on with life - in whatever way they can. We humans - we adapt. We are good at adapting. He agreed. We said our goodbyes.

    This was a lesson for me. Adapt. Here at Treeleaf, in my daily practice, in life. Never give up. Adapt.

    I hope I meet that boy again for another lesson - for both of us.

    Gasshō
    Seiko
    stlah
    Gandō Seiko
    頑道清光
    (Stubborn Way of Pure Light)

    My street name is 'Al'.

    Any words I write here are merely the thoughts of an apprentice priest, just my opinions, that's all.
  • Nengei
    Member
    • Dec 2016
    • 1650

    #2
    It is beautiful that he felt at ease in addressing you, and you in answering his questions. I grew up with the ingrained idea that we are "supposed to" ignore or pretend we don't see that people are other-abled. What a wedge that was!

    Gassho,
    Nengei
    Sat today. LAH.
    遜道念芸 Sondō Nengei (he/him)

    Please excuse any indication that I am trying to teach anything. I am a priest in training and have no qualifications or credentials to teach Zen practice or the Dharma.

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    • Jundo
      Treeleaf Founder and Priest
      • Apr 2006
      • 43422

      #3
      ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

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