Questions and Answers

I've been thinking about this particular piece since I read a bit on a gent's Zen blog last week, and then I was inspired to get this up when I read Jesse's piece on Project Love this morning ...  Jesse makes a good point about recognizing those things that are apt to put a person in a 'funk.'  If a person recognizes those things, he may be able to avoid them, but as Jesse discusses ... some things -- like a rainy day -- you just can't avoid and you have to confront.  He's found a way through prayer and music to fight this particular dragon.  Bravo!

Back to the Zen piece I read last week ... This chap found that he could improve the quality of his life by asking himself questions and then setting about to find the answers.  His questions are not the obvious ones.  He asks himself things like, "What would I feel like if I ate a Vegan diet for 30 days?"  The only way to find out is to eat a Vegan diet for 30 days and he does.  If he feels good, he continues.  He asks, "How fast can I run a mile?"  The only way to find out is to run the mile.



In a sense, Jesse asks himself, "How would prayer and music affect the way I feel on a rainy day?"  I suppose I ask myself, "How would I feel if I ride my bike 30 miles today?"  Then I go find out.  Understand that we're not asking ourselves stupid questions like, "How would I feel if I hit myself in the head with a shovel today?"  We're asking ourselves questions because the answers are likely to improve the quality of our day or our lives.

Since I was a kid, I always believed a Catholic was required "to give something up" for Lent [which started yesterday].  In recent years, I might give something up.  But last year, Father Charlie gave me a wonderful idea.  Don't give up something like chocolate or beer.  As Father Tom pointed out yesterday, "Giving up chocolate for six weeks is called a diet."  Father Charlie suggested a year ago that we give up something like "hating" which makes us better people.

Here again, we're asking questions and seeking answers:  "How would I feel [and how would the people around me feel] if I gave up hating or jealousy, for example?"  What questions can we ask ourselves whose answer can improve our lives and the lives of those around us.  It's a habit I think I'll get into.  There are so many questions that I need to find the answers to that I think I'll start today.