I wrote a lot today, to Mike Vick of the dog fighting fame, and to generous supporters of education the Gates Family (of Colorado). My letter to Mike was inspired by the 60 Minutes interview he did yesterday. I do hope he will be a good influence on younger people now. He didn't look sincere, but in this age of constant coaching it was refreshing in its own way that he wasn't convincing. Maybe he was just sincere and not a good actor? I have 2 rescued dogs (Buddy and Blue), I really feel horrible that there is dog fighting and animal abuse in the world. Can Mike Vick help? Maybe. At least we know more of the horrors of dog fighting because a famous person was convicted of it. Kobe Bryant? Now there is a man with no remorse.
I also wrote to one of my distant relatives about the Shakers. The Shakers were a religious group who did everything in their lives as well as they could. They lived plainly and they were craftsmen. I remember seeing a documentary about the last of the Shaker women. I think there were 2 left, in their 90's. They dressed much like the Amish, but they didn't have children (ahead of their time, ecologically-but not good for keeping up their religion). The furniture they made was lovely, and perfect (and plain). To own some small treasue made by the quakers is wonderful. It is a hand crafted object, made with love~you can actually see and the love in the item. The women interviewed in the documentary talked about their beliefs and how even making a pie was an act of prayer. Yes, a prayer. So when they made anything they made it as perfectly as they possibly could. Wow. Perfection. And so Buddhist as well.
So, friend, whatever you do, do it as best you can~with focus, determination and love, and intent. Then it will be perfect. But do it, that is step one.
