Should we get involved in others' matters, or should we mind our own business? - asked US citizen.

Today, I failed to heel my own advice: "Do your very best at this moment and let go of the attachments and delusions."

In the forest, you don't argue with beautiful birds and wild flowers. You take time to admire them for what they are: smell the flowers, watch the birds do their own thing. Right or wrong means nothing. Mu.

Zen & The Art of the Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig

For the last 12 years, I have repeatedly re-read that fascinating book. 

I meditated the Zen for even longer period of time.

Only today, I realized that the question which I asked myself for thousand times "What is Quality?" is a Koan, a question that has only one purpse - to transend the the intellect, intuition into the enlightenment, or madness.

This profound realization left me in awe and humbled by my blindness over the past 12 years.

Amazon

your sweet lips - poem

morning dew from rosy petals

men will want it more than medals

source of life, the holy grail

It’s so sacred - needs a veil

gate of heavens, your sweet lips

rosy colored with wide hips

fruit forbidden, nectar, honey

virgin spring - keep it running

forest thick, or baldy dune

worship service each afternoon

on my knees I cherish

true divine, 'til I'll perish

A Cook and Master Ikkyu

One day a man came to the famous Japanese Zen master Ikkyu. The man said:
- "Master, I work hard as a cook, yet the inn-keeper treats me like a worthless dog. Master, please help me with the inn-keeper, you are a very respected man in the town."
Ikkyu, without a word moved on to make a tea. After the tea Ikkyu send the man away with these words:
- "Go and become a good cook"
The men went away a little offended and disappointed, but out of the respect to the great master, he did study the art of cooking. After the while he came back to the master and said:
- "Master, I work hard and I became one of the better cooks in town, the inn-keeper is better now, but she still yells at me and pushes me around. Master, being a great cook is not working... please help this time."

Master Ikkyu tasted the sweets that the man brought and indeed they were first class. The cook thought - "Now the master will send the word to the inn-keeper for me"
Ikkyu upon finishing the sweets said "Observe and learn the art of being the inn-keeper, understand how your master thinks."
This was the strangest request, thought the cook, but he went away as it was not a custom to argue with the master.

A while later the cook comes back to Ikkyu and says:
"Master, I work hard, I became the best cook and I learned the art of inn-keeping, I realized I could go and work for anybody I would like to, yet I decided to stay in my inn because the keeper became quite agreeable."

"Was it she, or you that changed?" asked master.
"Ah, Master, indeed it was I" the cook replied.

"Now you know the true path: 1) work hard, 2) study your art, become good at what you do, 3) be mindful of others around you and 4) be mindful of your own thoughts."

Auschwitz "Au Revoir Les Enfants" (Goodbye Children)

I watched the movie "Au Revoir Les Enfants" (Goodbye Children) set in the Catholic School in France during the German occupation.

The school was for the boys from the rich families to keep them away from the dangerous cities. The priest, the principal of the school, together with the staff took in a couple of Jewish boys. The story unfolds until the boys get arrested by the Gestapo and are carried away, we learn that they get killed, one of them eventually dies in Auschwitz.

Auschwitz was one of the biggest concentration camps set by the Nazi, during the war about 1.1 million people were killed in there, 90% of that were Jewish. 

Why do I write this? - because it strikes a personal note. 

Auschwitz (Oświęcim) is 88 km from my hometown, the distance you can drive in 1.5 hour. 

I visited the place when I was a child and I still bear a deep scar, some 20 years later. 

People please don't hate each other: black and white, Jewish and Arabs, Catholics and Protestants, Shi'a and Sunni - we are no different from each other and with a little soul-searching and mindfulness we can find the peace for each other.

I shall write about the experiences of my family during the war...