Meditation Point #70
A Zen ThingOne day Chao-chou fell down in the snow, and called out, “Help! Help me up!”
A monk came and lay down beside him,
Chao-chou got up and walked away.
– – Zen Mando
At first reading many people will probably say, what?!? Can’t say I blame them. However when I meditated on this saying the meaning became perfectly clear. Think about it most of us, actually all of us, at some point in our lives fall or lie down in defeat. We lie in self-pity or remorse feeling the only way to escape our situation is to be saved by some other power. Here though our savior doesn’t save us he “lay down beside him“! Often it is easy to help other and solve their problems but it is far harder to watch them struggle in silent support by their side. I think parents can definitely relate to this as they want to nurture and protect their children. Yet in doing so we rob our children, friends, students, and strangers of a valuable life lesson…how to survive and be self-reliant. This is not to say that we do nothing, quiet to the contrary you join them in support but leave it to them to help themselves. All of us like little children will rather be handed the solution. Why else do children cry when frustrated? We adults may not cry but we have other ways of expressing our frustration that are equally defeatist! So the next time you find yourself on the floor or facing a truly difficult adversary don’t cry for help or fold and run. Pick yourself up, face your fears and excuses, do something positive and make your own future. You may not win, you may fall down again but I promise you will grow and be the better person for the fall. Because no one ever grew while they lay in the snow!!
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