“You see this goblet?” asks Achaan Chaa, the Thai meditation master. “For me this glass is already broken. I enjoy it; I drink out of it. It holds my water admirably, sometimes even reflecting the sun in beautiful patterns. If I should tap it, it has a lovely ring to it. But when I put this glass on the shelf and the wind knocks it over or my elbow brushes it off the table and it falls to the ground and shatters, I say, ‘Of course.’ When I understand that the glass is already broken, every moment with it is precious.”

– Mark Epstein

Thoughts Without a Thinker

Aged Mother can no longer feed herself. Clearly spoken words are rare. A sentence is like a polar bear in Antarctica. I carry her from her bed to the couch in the morning and back again at bedtime. She eats little. Mainly liquids. Only a few spoonfuls at a time. Swallowing is difficult. Her breathing is labored.

Esteemed Brother will be here tomorrow. Leaving again Monday.