I just opened my Chrome book to file with kind of this name. Then I remembered what I was going to write something about Taoism.
Lately, when people ask me about religion I usually respond with the answer: “I’m a non-secular humanist with Taoist leanings, we celebrate Jewish holidays in my home.”
This like most spiritual journeys is a complex path and I am not going into the width and breath of it here
It is the new moniker that is amusing.
The Tao.
I never copt to it before. Hell, I have been at war with it most of my life. The idea that for anything good or worthwhile involves struggle and work is hardwired into me. But the things in my life have been lessons in finding a balance.
I have been shown over and over I have no control and much of life involves a certain amount of luck. The more I stop struggling and fighting, the more of what I want in my life happens.
This is not a blank check to forget my goals or to not work toward things, but a reminder that plans rarely go to plan.
Since, quarantined started, I have been trying to stay industrious. Cleaning, and working on projects. But, things started to happen. The first week I was picking up toys in the family room to wash, that my daughter chews on regularly. There was a wiffle ball that had been resting in the base of the lift I keep in the family room. (Daughter 16 uses and wheelchair...yes she still puts all toys in her mouth) I reached to get it and when I went to stand, I hit my right temple so hard against this perpendicular handle I saw stars and cried out involuntary.
It was a concussion. My son, checked my pupils and asked me all kinds of questions. I stayed up for the next three hours, I kept ice on my head for over an hour. When I went to go to bed I couldn’t sleep.
My son worried and when he went to leave with his sister that weekend I called family out of town and told me to check on me the day I was alone. I was not going to go to an emergency room to be told, “Yes, you have an concussion. Stay in a dark room and try to not watch screens.” I didn’t think that was worth exposure to Covid which my household is fragile.
So, I rested.
The next week I hit my head two more times. One involved a bruise over my left eye. This happened with me trying to get out to pick up meds at the pharmacy and still trying to go without enough time with ice on my eye. The pharmacy was closed anyways.
I don’t know exactly what came first at this point but the other hinderance to my plans besides the concussion was my allergies which have been non existent for years are in hyperdrive. I was working on this fence project, found out I am allergic to cedar and the pollen in the air has made my eyes feel like a swarm of bees moved in.
So the next weekend the bruise moved below my eye while my allergies made seeing difficult and everything so itchy. Long story short, I ended up with a horrible infection that turned to Cellulitis due to my diabetes and exposure to Mrsa. So, I ended up just resting besides parenting duties.
In the midst of it I laughed, it seems the Tao was reminding to be and stop trying to do more. Respect the need to be and rest. Just do it.
But now I want to figure out a sketch for a Tao Tea Set.
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