March 15
Today was my birthday, and I spent it feeling amazed. Amazed that I somehow landed in a human body in this century in this country on this planet. Amazed that I was born into a safe, comfortable, and fortunate life. Amazed that I live with three of the greatest people on earth. Amazed that this whole human (and non-human) drama even exists.
I mean, what are the odds of all that?!
In “The Buddhist Handbook,” John Snelling writes, “To illustrate the priceless value of human birth, the Buddha told a story about a one-eyed turtle swimming in a great ocean. Floating on the surface of the ocean is a golden yoke. The turtle comes up for air once every hundred years. The possibility of achieving a human birth… is statistically less probable than that the turtle should rise to the surface of the ocean and put its neck cleanly through the yoke.”
Your birth, my birth, the existence of anything and everything is just stunning, don’t you think?
I called my mother today and wished HER a "happy BIRTH-day," since she was who really put out the effort all those years ago, and it was the day SHE first became a mother – while all I really did was pop my head out! I just wanted to say THANK YOU, MOM, for bringing me into this world. And thank you to the universe for being here and hosting me on this very interesting tour.
With awe and appreciation,
Queen Lolo
Happy birthday, Queenie!
It's amazing to me that you and my beloved cat Claudius share the same birthday (and the little one is trying to trample on my keyboard as I write this). Surely, that's got to be one of several reasons I resonate with your blog.
Yes, I share your conscious appreciation for being born a human being, in fortunate circumstances no less. Maintaining that awareness, I find, strenghtens the connection to the numinous, or whatever terminology you want to apply to dimensions beyond the physical.
Enjoy,
Gabrielle
Well, Happy Birthday to Claudius! Ides of March, eh? "Buddy" the Bichon (my dog) says "Happy day and may the year be filled with tuna!"
Posted by: Queen Lolo at March 16, 2005 05:00 PMHappy Birthday! My older brother was born on the Ides of March. -- robin
Posted by: robin at March 16, 2005 11:42 PM