Adventures at Rasa Ranch #23

[Guest guest]

7/25/02 "Being Friends"

 

Today Ananda wandered into our bedroom where I was sitting quietly in

my favorite chair. She was carrying Tony, the stuffed dog that was

my very best buddy when I was little. Wherever I went, Tony went

with me.

 

Ananda climbed up and joined me in the chair. "Mommy?" she asked,

"Why do you 'yove' Tony so much?" "Because he used to be my best

friend," I replied. She paused for a moment, looked right at me, and

then asked, "Wasn't your mommy your best friend?" "Nope," I said as I

shook my head. She looked pretty perplexed and wondered aloud, "Why

not?" I told her that my mommy wasn't very nice to me. Ananda was

visibly surprised by this and asked with great interest, "But, why?"

Thoughtfully, I remarked, "I think she was very sad." When she asked

me why my mommy was sad I simply said, "Because she didn't have

enough love." She paused a moment and then declared with passion,

"You have a 'yot' of 'yove', Mommy." "I sure do," I agreed as I

squeezed her to me.

 

Running her fingers over Tony's soft, but worn fur Ananda discovered

several stitches of mismatched thread in the crease of his arm and

inquired about it. I told her that one day, a long time ago, my

brother got so angry that he pulled Tony's arms apart until his fur

ripped right in that spot and so I had to stitch him up. "Did you

cry, Mommy?" Ananda asked with great feeling. "Oh, yes," I replied

definitively, remembering that very clearly. "Why did he DO that?"

she wanted to know. I explained that when people are feeling really

angry and they just don't know what else to do, sometimes they can do

mean things to each other. When she asked me what made my brother so

angry, I told her that when I was growing up in my house there was

lots of anger...way more than in this house. Then with big eyes and

a nod, I repeated, "WAY more." Of course she again wanted to know why

and I told her plainly, shrugging and shaking my head, "We just didn't

know how to be friends." She nodded with understanding. After a

brief pause she confidently stated, "Everybody is my friend: even the

ground, even the flowers, even the trees and the birds and all the

other animals, and this picture, and this lamp, and Mommy, and Daddy,

and .........., and ..........., and ..........., and........... "

 

[A little while later as I was typing this up Ananda approached me,

again holding Tony. She put her mouth up to my ear and whispered, "I

yove Tony as much as you do."]

[Guest guest]

Hi Kheyala and Ananda,

 

"After a brief pause she confidently stated, "Everybody is my friend:

even the ground, even the flowers, even the trees and the birds and

all the other animals, and this picture, and this lamp, and Mommy, and

Daddy, and .........., and ..........., and ..........., and....... "

 

And that is Brahman! that is Self!

 

John L.

[Guest guest]

, "johnrloganis" <johnrloganis> wrote:

> Hi Kheyala and Ananda,

>

> "After a brief pause she confidently stated, "Everybody is my

friend:

> even the ground, even the flowers, even the trees and the birds and

> all the other animals, and this picture, and this lamp, and Mommy,

and

> Daddy, and .........., and ..........., and ...........,

and....... "

>

> And that is Brahman! that is Self!

>

> John L.

 

 

 

BINGO!!!!!!!

[Guest guest]

ANANDA'S INSPIRATION

 

"Everybody is my friend:

even the ground,

even the flowers,

even the trees

and the birds

and all the other animals,

and this picture,

and this lamp,

and Mommy,

and Daddy,

and ..........."

 

A little child shall lead,

Can the adult in us heed?

Without a thought,

nothing bought,

only love that's free,

never mind that it's a tree!

 

Never mind,

Only heart.

Yet heart and mind

Combine to find

That there is no block,

no barrier, no lock

to lock us out,

to lock out love.

 

Words from thought and mind

Can put us in a bind,

but words from heart,

set us free to find

that all the everythings

are the song that Brahman sings.

 

, "kheyalove" <kheyala@n...> wrote:

> , "johnrloganis" <johnrloganis>

wrote:

> > Hi Kheyala and Ananda,

> >

> > "After a brief pause she confidently stated, "Everybody is my

> friend:

> > even the ground, even the flowers, even the trees and the birds

and

> > all the other animals, and this picture, and this lamp, and

Mommy,

> and

> > Daddy, and .........., and ..........., and ...........,

> and....... "

> >

> > And that is Brahman! that is Self!

> >

> > John L.

> BINGO!!!!!!!