Everyday Buddhism 36 - Random New Year's Thoughts

2020 seems like something out of Sci-Fi. But here we are. And from my perspective—approaching my 67th birthday in a little under 2 weeks—we ARE living in what was the sci-fi from my childhood perspective. I imagine, though, that for most of my podcast listeners, how we are living today doesn't seem like sci-fi to you. It's not that new for you. It all depends on where you stand—your perspective. Here we are. From where you sit, listening to this podcast, you may be filled with hope or despair. You may have pain or feel great. You may be young or you may be old. But you are where you are. And we're all here with you. It may look different where I'm sitting, but I am here right now, just as you are. And, together, we'll enter 2020. Another year, another decade on the calendar, but if we live at the moment, we can have an awareness of just being here. With no before and after and no "room for memories or imagined futures." That is the ultimate fact and it transcends the duality of new year, old year; young person, old person; well person or sick person. Yes, everything changes and we are in motion on the horizontal time train, but, "in vertical time, everything is accessible; every possibility is restful and free."