Scratching your head with an itch on your butt

      That is not an original bonny but an Ajahn Brahm quote.  Sometimes a few words like that can say it all.  Every time I look outside myself for something that is not making my life wonderful; it is just like that.  If only he would or wouldn’t, or she did say or could have said. Etc.  The scratch has to come from me and how I react to whatever is coming to my view or ears.   I went to a wonderful concert last night, I stopped at a temple yesterday, I went to a beautiful store to buy my shawl. During the day, I met a few people, and when I told them I was American, someone said,  “oh you're from that shithole country like me” referring to the latest DJ babble. 

     Ok, when I read the comment in the morning, I took a step back, but it is the same type of step back I took over hundreds of things the man has said or done since he put his name in public.  He became my head scratching butt itch yesterday.  What can I do about it or him or the state of my country?  Not much.

       I can, however, do something about how much energy I give to DJ or other things beyond my control and how long it takes me to refocus on myself and to think more about what I am saying and thinking.  Am I kind?  Am I smiling as I ride past people on the street?  Do I let pass the inconsiderate rider or do I want to run him/her down?  Did I leave a tip, overpay, compliment, say thank you?  Did I do my daily I appreciate you?   Mmmmm much less itch.

     It is a little like going to the mountaintop and looking at the valley below with your hands over your eyes.  When I give whatever someone else is doing the power over my happiness, I lose my focus.

     What do I need to adjust to make my life sing to me, relieve the itch, sharpen my view?  What is needed so my life is not distracted by thing, words, people that are trying to take my energy, focus, and distracting me from me making my HERE/NOW my focus?  

     So taking my hands away from my eyes and putting my attention on my path, my HERE/NOW…. I smile and breathe in ….I smile and breath out and the itch on my butt is relieved.

PS  I went to a funeral yesterday with all the people in black, monks chanting... and flowers...I focused on the flowers