Being Busy

I am one of those people who is constitutionally opposed to being busy. Some would say that’s called laziness, but I beg to differ.

And yet, I seem to be busy, or at least have the perception of being busy, about 90% of the time.

The benefit of a regular meditative practice in my life has been a bit greater acceptance of this busyness. Whereas the huge list of travel planning, people-coordinating, packing, writing, and so on would have felt like an overwhelming mountain of tasks years ago – today it simply is. That’s not to say I’m imperturbable. Nor is it to say I’ll be graceful in all that is to come, but simply that I’ll get through it (a confidence that a younger me might not have had).

On the flight in to London I sat near a young Londoner of Somalian descent, a Muslim man named Abdulla Mohamed. He was quite friendly and chatty and curious about my studies (Buddhist Ethics) and about what it means to be a Buddhist. After a bit, he smiled and said, “yes, Islam is much the same” and we both laughed.

He told me about his youth, raised by his sister to treat everyone with respect and live with curiosity toward the world and I told him my father had taught me much the same. Despite having just met him and our differences in religion and background, it was like talking to an old friend.

As the plane landed he offered me a ride to my friend’s flat where I am staying now, saving me a fair bit of time and hassle on the London trains. I offered to take him to Glacier if he makes it to Montana, as he said he would like to one day. I do hope he takes me up on it.

Time to do some writing 🙂