Gifts of Simplicity

STRIPPED OF MATERIAL POSSESSIONS, writing these words in a noisy, overcrowded prison dormitory, I ask myself what gift can I possibly give to those in need? Even the words I offer sometimes seem trite and meaningless.

As I go deeper into this subject of simple gifts, though, I am reminded that life is not a problem to be solved. It is a gift to be opened. There are so many gifts in a single life - a word of kindness, a song of a bird, the companionship of friends, a strain of music, the sun on our face, the color of a sunset.

Many of the gifts we offer to others may seem small, as ordinary things; a cordial greeting, a comforting visit, a gentle touch. We give what we have at that moment. If we have good humor, then laughter is our gift. If we can cook, then food is our gift. If we can make music or hold a hand or listen, then these are our gifts. The currency of our kindness flows from what we are, what we love. In the simplest form, what we give are our gifts of kindness.

If we are preoccupied with what is missing and what is broken and wrong, we lose the miraculous harvest of all the small gifts, piled one upon another, that accumulate without our acknowledging them. If we become more aware of the infinite blessings of a single day, it will not erase our sorrows, but it will help us remember how strong and rich we can be even in the midst of suffering. A single word of gratefulness can transform a moment of sorrow into a moment of peace.

Every gift is a drop of water on a stone; every kindness helps us remain hopeful and balanced. We thrive here on earth as we bring what we have and offer it at the family table - the gift of our heart, our acts of kindness.

I often feel that I have so little to offer. But then, I remember a gift is like a seed. If I wait until the seed becomes a tree before I offer it, I will wait and wait and the seed will die from lack of planting in the warm moist earth. The miracle is not just the gift; the miracle is in the offering, for if I do not offer, who will?

However large or small, dramatic or simple, if we ignore or suppress our offering, something deep and vital within us will wither and die.

If we lovingly offer our gifts, we will experience what Gandhi so beautifully described - "The fragrance always remains in the hand that gives the rose."

What's the Hurry?

AFTER WAITING ENDLESSLY for much-needed services in the prison system, I am again faced with my impatience. Sometimes I notice that I'm impatient for a result for something I want to taste or see or have finished. Sometimes I'm impatient with not being able to get some relief from my long prison sentence. But often it is more than that. When I look closer, I see that I don't want to feel a certain frustration or emptiness of things not being fulfilled.

What's my hurry? When I'm not impatient, when I am more present and accepting of what "is," I can see the magnificence of the morning sunrise, I can feel the freshness of the morning air as I breathe it in. I am reminded that the real blessings in our lives always happen in one place - where we already are. It is from that place within us, where we are not in a hurry, that it becomes possible to see what is beautiful right in front of us.

So, the opposite of impatience is not really patience, but contentment and wonder. It is the capacity to rest, to release our muscles a little bit more, to trust the process of whatever is happening to be "just right," to put our bags down and rest a while. Often it is like we are on a fast moving train, carrying our suitcases and ready to jump off as it slows to a stop. Ready for everything except what's here... now.

In perfecting patience, it is useful to reflect on what keeps us from this contentment. How many people would be grateful for the life that we have? Or what if we had a terminal illness? It is such a miracle to just be alive, to walk in the sun, to hug our loved ones.

The quality of being present, of being patient, is our birthright. We are blessed not from possessing or manipulating, but from the acceptance of our place in the dance of life. It is here that we come back to "where we are in this moment." It is in each of our life's moments that we find joy, simplicity and courage.

© 2001-07, Tom Brown

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Charles "Tom" Brown was a successful investor who did very well in real estate, oil, and the stock market. Friends began asking him to invest for them, too. And he did. Things went well, and more people heard about his abilities and wanted to be included in the investment strategies he had devised. All went well until there was a dramatic change in the market. All that went up turned down, and Tom wanted everyone to still have a profit - his big mistake - as he wanted to be well thought of. Tom was accused of defrauding investors. Although it was shown that he had never diverted any money for himself other than a modest commission, through unbelievable mishandling by an incompetent or dishonest attorney, what should have been a one-year sentence became a 17-year sentence. At the time of judgment, Tom was 62 years of age.

The purpose of Tom's blog is not to dwell on the injustice, but rather, to show the incredible unfoldment of consciousness in a man who has taken this sentence and created a workshop of Soul and Spirit out of it. His words are designed to help us see into life and do better with what we've been given. Tom's Beyond the Wall blog is located at www.Beyondthewall.blogs.com.  If you would like to write to Tom, he appreciates correspondence.  He does not have access to a computer but can be reached via Charles "Tom" Brown, # 140237, ASPC - Lewis, Barchey Blue - D2 - E5, P.O.Box 3200, Buckeye, AZ, 85326.