I sat in meditation. It was morning, early by my standards. Bodhi sang his little boy songs at my feet, humming a "vrroooom", "vrrrrrooooomm", with his wooden cars and an "OUCH" as he turned them unceremoniously onto their sides. Our cat Eli, purred enthusiastically on my right, in a lusty bid for attention. Owen lay ensconced in his bed, playing his banned gameboy beneath the covers, thrilled by his own daring, while Shane slept, wide mouthed, beneath a downy comforter. I finished my inspirational reading. I closed my eyes for the minute or two afforded me, each morning. I breathed. I opened. I breathed again. Bodhi put his head on my lap and Eli nudged closer, while the gentle sound of snoring and forbidden gameboys echoed in the back ground. A soft smile overtook my face. I opened my eyes. I picked up Bodhi, he hugged me briefly, arched his back and called, "DOWN". Eli nuzzled closer, I stroked the soft white tuft of fur behind his head, twice, before he bit me (that's Eli). I stared out the window. The window! The windows were filthy, water spotted and a mess. I continued to look out the window, savoring these few moments of inactivity and then it dawned on me, "My meditation windows are filthy!". Well the irony of this wasn't lost on me. I grabbed my glass cleaner and cloth. Like a hybridized zen monk and obsessive compulsive clean freak, I washed the inside windows. Bodhi worked at my side, his little hands navigated a small cloth, smearing the windows with pride. I went outside. I spritzed and wiped away the grime while Bodhi laughed at me from the other side. I smiled. I was focused and thorough. I thought to myself "I am cleaning the window of my soul, I am washing clean my own eyes", quotes from the Buddha and Christ surfaced in my mind as I labored... I was happy. I admired my work from the outside, with more than a little egotistic abandon. I came in. Bodhi met me at the door. Together we stood and stared at my handiwork. My mouth dropped. The windows were filthy... smeared and streaked. I stood there, all my ironies dancing to the forefront and then I began to laugh. I laughed until my stomach hurt. I laughed until I was done. I stood up straight again and surveyed my handiwork. At that moment Bodhi lifted his precious arms to me and said, "Poop, Mama, poooop", while emanating a breathtaking odor. I swooped him up, tickled his belly and my real meditations began.
Comments