Lighter Side (May 2007)

Columbia, MD

One day after T’ai Chi Chih class at the adult daycare center, I asked Pauline, “How do you feel?” She smiled and said, “Fine as wine in the summer time.” I then asked her, “What’s the difference compared with the winter time?” She boldly declared, “I don’t know, I don’t drink!”

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After discussing thinking outside of the box, and letting go, one college (University of Maryland, Baltimore County) student was very excited to tell me she could do Around the Platter with her feet. I had no clue what she was talking about, so I asked her to show me. She got down on the floor, face up, drew her knees up to her chest, and began to circle her legs around an imaginary platter! Both sides of course.

* * *

I sat down on a bench outside a store recently and struck up a conversation with a 70-year-old man. He told me he had a lot of pain in his back, and I became animated and started talking about energy healing and TCC. He crossed his hands (as if we placed our palms down when crossing in Daughter on the Mountaintop) and slowly ascended as he was making fun of me, uttering some word I believe he just made up. He said he was sorry, and that was probably rude. I just laughed and chose that as an opportunity to plant a teaching seed about TCC.

He was very set in his belief system, telling me he did believe in acupuncture but nothing else. He told me there is no scientific proof of what I was talking about. We continued a friendly banter but he refused to budge in his thinking, although he did admit to being open minded. I laughed and said maybe one reason he refuses to believe in the energy practices is because if he found out they work, it would topple his whole belief system. He laughed and said, “Yes, I have my pride and my ego.”

He continued to tell me his way of thinking was rational, and mine was not. I didn’t want to argue with him, but I did want to plant a seed. I guess Prajna spoke, because I found myself leaning in with a twinkle in my eye and said, “Well, the bottom line is you’re in pain, and I’m not!”

He started laughing, shook his head and index finger at me, and said, “You have a point!” I walked away laughing out loud, thoroughly satisfied and amused.