Yesterday our daughter, my husband and I walked the dogs around a lake. We indulged in conversation about the wedding, pleased with how it went and how friendly everyone was. This kind of speech builds the memories that will become the event over time. We were happy just remembering such a joyous day. It was sunny and warm, people were jogging and chatting and feeding the ducks. The entire atmosphere fed our pleasure. Speech that is not informational but expresses feelings is a treasure.
The day before I'd gone with a friend to see a delightful documentary, "Seymour, an Introduction", directed by Ethan Hawke. The film brought such pleasure to both of us. This is a film to honor a gentle man, a teacher, who's love for music transfers to everyone he meets. This indeed is right speech: to find the Buddha in the ordinary life of a man invisible to most. His joy in teaching is evident in the movie, and the combination of exquisite music, wise observations and getting to know this stranger better is a delight. The film inspires. There are so many giving people in this world, affecting deeply those they touch, and it reminds us of this, and also that even we might be one of them. It takes practice: right effort. If we try to tell ourselves we don't matter, this film dispells that idea. We do matter, even our everyday ordinary actions, and we are influenced greatly by such actions by others. The one teacher who helped us through school, the aunt who shone like a beacon in a dark family, the words of a writer that guided us when no one else was willing: these are the gifts of life, and we should be awake to their presence as well as our opportunity to inspire in our own small way.
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