Cattāri Brahmavihārā

This morning my formal meditation was broken by one of my chilren who came bursting out of the bedroom because they had wet the bed. Suffice it to say that I get up early enough to be able to meditate and work in peace for an hour or so before anyone normally awakens so there was about 45 minutes more chaos this morning than there normally would have been. What made it worse was the fact that I felt raw and out of sorts because I had not been able to calm the mind through meditation as I normally do.

What was immediately obvious to me was the fact that clinging so fast to the idea that I must meditate for a prescribed amount of time and in the precise manner to which I am accustomed was the cause of a lot of suffering. But, what really hit home was the fact that my entire practice is inended to help alleviate my own and others’ suffering so it was grossly inappropriate for me to behave like a lout towards my fafor having been “disturbed.” Pondering like this as I made their breakfasts I considered how I could turn the situation around and realized that, in that moment gratitude was the key.

At any moment I could lose my children. At any moment I could lose my apartment. At any time I could lose all that is dear to me. So, why meet the moment, why meet today with anger and irritation? When everything is so fragile, when all things are already broken how can I afford not to appreciate my blessings?