Mindful Hockey

The other day I was driving down a side street in South Buffalo, New York. It reminded me of my childhood....The sun was shining, a cool breeze and kids playing a pick up game of street hockey. What is wonderful is seeing the gang of kids so excited about having a ball in the street. Like the old days when a car comes down the street the kids will move the goal (net) to the side. That's when I saw him....a boy in a wheelchair. You would think he would be down or feel left out because all his chums were in the street doing something he couldn't come close to doing....Not so! I looked and the lad in the chair was in goal! One could almost feel what he felt...Here's the deal. In no way did that boy present himself as handicapped and none of his cadre of hockey players treated him any different,

As a Buddhist I must be alert to others feelings. I must act out of compassion with loving kindness, generosity and wisdom. Seeing this young man play goal in a wheelchair only confirmed that I follow the mind...The mind does not follow me. Positive action and "right" living should come as natural as our little goalie was in the net. Meditation will always help this. Being in the present, focusing on the breath and having an active meditation practice leads me down the path of natural living. Natural in the sense that what I do is based in solid compassion and flows into this world as easily as water softly lapping against smooth stones.

He shoots...He scores!

Bhodi