brief review - the vow of the bodhisattva

the deluding passions are inexhaustible. i vow to extinguish every one.
sentient beings are numberless. i vow to liberate every one.
the truth cannot be told. i vow to tell it in its entirety.
purity is impossible to attain. i vow to attain it.



i went to easter vigil and i prayed without ceasing, the same four, over and over: salve regina, hail mary, soul of mary, and the memorare, with the certain petition: strengthen me in body and mind, make me your hands and heart, to work here where we live. despite all that love - love so as to make the eye fill and the heart overflow - it's really the bodhisattva vow i say every day. it's okay, really, it is permissible, in my world, to be a rapturously dedicated - catholic, for lack of a better term, as well as an extremely serious - buddhist, for lack of a better word. i figure as long as i neither swerve into devotional fanaticism or become entranced with chilly spiritual rationality, i won't go to either hell, and i can't do much harm.

and in times of doubt i can think on the dharma
and of the enlightened one's who've graduated samsara
--the beastie boys

in excelsius

i recovered these 2 snippets, ferreted away some years back, one from walt whitman and another from briana, and i do believe they together should be this week's homily.



Beginning my studies, the first step pleas'd me so much,
The mere fact, consciousness - these forms - the power of motion,
The least insect or animal - the senses - eyesight - love;
The first step, I say, aw’d me and pleas’d me so much,
I have hardly gone, and hardly wish’d to go, any farther,
But stop and loiter all the time, to sing it in extatic songs.

--walt whitman



i love the trees i love the wind
i love the flowers
i love warm coffee in the morning
i love all of nature
the butterflies
the birds
the ants
i love people
the kindness they show
compassion
the feel of a hug
or the feel of a kiss
the feeling of being loved
the feeling of being in love
i love playing in parks
and seeing children play
i love laughing
and hearing people laugh
i love fotos and home videos
mixtapes
music
all types of music i love it.
i love the fresh feeling of a shower.

i love bracelets
i love the fact that i got to know you
i love the fact that i got to see how peaceful you are when you sleep.
i love shoes and hats
i love singing into the mirror
i love candles and fires
and camping
and family trips.
i love my brother and his unborn child
i love the summer.and the snow and the fall
and gardens
i love the way gain detergent smells
i love unconditional love
i love shows and energy in them
i love the way muffins taste
i love mashed potatoes
i love poetry and stories
i love the way the 405 is so free and has such good energy
i love being around my friends and getting to know them little by little each day
i love clean underwear
i love good dreams
i love everyone i've ever known in my life even if they've treated me bad or have done things that i dont agree with
i love animals and their innocence
i love how smells remind me of things

i love how faith is so supportive and reassuring
i love how marek is so caring and free spirited
how eli is so confident and a take charge kind of woman
how zoe s is so dreamy eyed
how zoe g has such good plans and is so spunky
how heather is so truthful
how madison is so bossy
how leigh is so caring
how jpw is so funny
how skye is a great brother
how my mother tries to comfort me
how my grandmother in florida worries about me so much
how my uncle steve has all these great plans and is so optimistic
i love how my dad helped to give me life
how my nana always tried to cook me what i liked to eat
how aunt susan is so spunky and fun loving
how jimi is so clueless
how lainey is so familar
and kramer is so kind hearted
how katherine wade and chris are all still supportive of me

i love what swimming feels like and how you're weightless.
running through fields.
how dancing brings people together.
i love dancing. oh how i love dancing
how new pants fit
how strawberry fields smells
i love that im gay
i love canada in the summer
i love my old cat kaluah

i love movies
i love writing
i love skiing
and snowbarding and wake boarding
and playing basketball and soccer
i love learning new things
i love getting crushes
i love children
i love oreos
i love all my childhood memories
i love that im seventeen.
i love my freckles.


i love my family and friends so dearly.

by the bushwacker


be joyful