Last night I had my first hour-long drive in the dark of the concert season (it was after a pops concert in a park). The night was clear, the traffic was (as usual) minimal, and the radio signal was strong. Coming to my car on that strong radio signal was an interview with Karen Maezen Miller, who was discussing her new book Hand Wash Cold: Care Instructions for an Ordinary Life. I was fascinated by the discussion. Miller suggests that happiness can be found at the bottom of a laundry basket, and that happiness is something fleeting that results from completing a task, particularly one that you might approach reluctantly.
I have always liked the idea of Zen, and have always considered my practicing a sort of Zen-like meditation, but I know that people who practice Zen for Zen's sake would certainly not consider my meditative musical experiences with Sevcik and Dounis as something having anything to do with the practice of Zen. It's OK. I don't think of the practice of sitting in lotus position (for people with short legs it is extremely uncomfortable, you know) and contemplating the moment is anything particularly artistic or earth-shattering, but I suppose there are all sorts of paths to achieving a sense of personal dignity.
I guess I'll go and fold some laundry, and practice a few scales.
UPDATE: I got very little happiness from folding laundry, and even less from putting it away, but I enjoyed practicing a great deal.
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1 comment:
Thank you for listening. Now I'll return the favor. When you don't judge one thing to be separate and lesser than another, it's all one masterpiece.
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