Boredom: The Desire for Desires - Leo Tolstoy

All will be well ..... so begin doing things...... now.

Camping trip at Singing Hills, where "Stone Soup" (from last year's buried rocks) and a recipe for cake were made right here on the old fire!

"Faith is the force of life." - Leo Tolstoy

Leo Tolstoy's quote about boredom reflects his everyday sensible approach and hard-hitting views on life with his no frills thinking. Like, "If you want to be happy, be." He does have a point doesn't he?

The other day (during story time) I reached for a book called "The Three Questions" based on a story by Leo Tolstoy.

I deliberately bought this copy written and illustrated by Jon J. Muth since his dynamic style was so delightful for children of all ages.

You may already know this famous story about "The Three Questions" and I'm not referring to some great success story about how to become rich and ignore the most important people in your life. It's also told in a story by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Zen Master besides Leo Tolstoy's story written in 1903.

For those unfamiliar these are the Three Questions.
1. When is the best time to do things?
2. Who is the most important one?
3. What is the right thing to do?

Of course this story brought another important time from my life.  Has this ever happened to you? History or rather our memories often trickle in. Life is about learning things and permitting necessary ingredients to complete our experience.

My memory involved an inspiring Girl Scout Weekend Blast where all the girls were sitting around a campfire listening to a motivational speaker who asked them, "Who is the most important one/person in your life?" Almost instantly they shouted, "My mother, God, Jesus, my dad," and on and on they offered answers.
But nobody gave her the answer she wanted. The correct answer (she was looking for) was "Me!" The speaker pointed out (much like oxygen masks dropping on an airplane) quickly, "You are!
If you don't take care of you first, then you won't be there for anyone else."

Hmm .....yep, just like taking oxygen.

In the end there is one engaging thought ... which this story told by numerous authors offers for all mankind.

       Often when we are faced with the obvious nature of things, we instinctively know what must be done. Muth’s book involves a boy who takes over the tiresome digging for his friend, an old turtle and whilst doing so fate steps in. Again effortlessly now the boy cares for an injured panda and afterwards saves the life of the panda's child. These stories embrace one important time which is now; the present time you are living and to do good for the one standing next to you.

            Live as though the moment you are in may be your last, and you will have lived this moment well.