Mindfulness of Fun

Posted by: Michael | 03/13/2013

Mindfulness of Fun

Finding time for the Dhamma can be especially hard when one finds oneself in the midst of vacationers and bone’s every whim is catered to. My family and I are visiting my stepmom and father at their home in the Caribbean and it is a veritable Wonderland for my children but makes working (which I have committed to do during this trip and meditating hard to do. But, as I write I see that I have given way once more to fault-finding rather than appreciating the opportunity we have to enjoy ourselves and spend time together as a family. And it is precisely at these times when I feel most at a loss. When it comes to teaching my kids life lessons or sharing knowledge of the Dhamma I feel like I’m in my element but just having fun? Well, that certainly doesn’t come easily.

Seeing that I am faced with a resounding “Why?” but I really don’t have an answer. It feels like a fear-possibly a fear of being swept up or of being caught off guard by unexpected tragedy that I have carried with me since childhood. And even she. I see this and the idea of surrender arises I am met with the thought that the Buddha and the arahant disciples never let themselves just have fun did they? Thankfully, as Thanissaro Bhikkhu says, right cloning is not a factor of the Eightfold Path so I should worry less about cloning the behavior of arahants from the outside and bring awareness to whatever it is I’m doing, including having fun.