THE AGES OF SAGES,

Looking very wet out back.  The grass is getting covered with cherry blossoms.  Everyone is getting tired of the rain.

I love seeing umbrella's even though I cannot be bothered carrying one myself.

After our lunch the day did clear up and the sun warmed the air and warmed our spirits.
Dad was able to go for his bike ride so that was great.

Arriving at the Care Home I looked around at all the gray hair and started to think of the wisdom that was hidden deep inside each one.  I think not only the visiting but the listening to their stories is so important.

Reading in Karen's book she takes us on a journey into the minds of some very ancient sages; like Siddhartha Gotama, the future Buddha.  He believed in meditation that freed him from earthly selfishness and sought to live a life of gratitude, compassion and altruism. 

Confucius also taught about controlling egotism's and cultivation compassion.  He was horrified when the economy changed and their was a aggressive pursuit of luxury, wealth and power.  His view was that salvation lay in a renewed appreciation of the underlying spirit of the old rites.  These gracious codes of behaviors had made people conscious of the dignity of every human being, they expressed and conferred sacred respect, they taught every family members to live for others.  The rites were a spiritual education that enabled people to transcend the limitations of selfishness.

The great Jewish sage Hillel stressed that doing unto others as you would have done to you is the whole of the Torah.

It is amazing that truth lives on even when all around us changes.

Panteli will arrive at mid-night and I do not know just how things will go in the morning.  I am not sure about being able to do my blog for awhile but I will have to see what works out.  I will walk with Gundy in the morning, and I must not forget Ava is coming over in the morning with Uri and her new boyfriend to tell us some exciting news I think,  and dad and I and maybe Sandra will go to Ben's lacrosse game Friday night.

Ken your friend Silverburg played very well and it was too bad Ottawa lost.  We, especially me, are now losing interest.

It is now Friday morning and I am tiring to be quiet but have already bumped into several things.

Pentali arrived and I am the only one up so far.