My new Buddha statue

I've never had any religious iconery about, or much truck with religion generally, but there was a specific Buddha statue which my parents had for lord knows what reason, which I quite liked. So I've looked for it for two years, and finally found it (I didn't like any of all the others), except bigger. My parents' version was only like six to eight inches (15-20 cm) tall, this one is 16! (40cm.) Big fellah. And it's vintage, rusty and everything, I like that.
So I bought it directly from China at a reasonable price. Apart from nobody ever answering any of my emails, it went perfectly, after a couple of weeks, I got a shipping confirmation (which didn't have any data, but from the price I could figure out what it was), and only like 4 days later I got it. I'm very pleased with it.  Here are my own photos of it.

(Click for big pics)
(Fujifilm X100 at 800 ISO)

I have a soft spot for the serenity associated with this and with the buddha, since serenity is a major goal of mine.

"This Too Shall Pass"

New animated ebook for iPad, This Too Shall Pass.

I like it. It stresses the ephemeral and impermanent nature of all things in time and space.

A happy and serene character says words to this effect: “I never let my livelihood, or lack of livelihood, interfere with every opportunity I have to live richly. I do all I do with a mind which has let go”.

The last words there I feel are central to good spiritual teachings. And while I'm sure there is an end to that journey, one will know when one is there, and until then, all the central lessons must be learned not just once, but many many times. One should not think this means one is dim, only that one is now learning on a higher level, from a higher perspective. 

Impossible

We are an impossibility in an impossible universe.
- Ray Bradbury

Burned biscuits

[Thanks to Henry]

When I was a kid,  my Mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And  I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a  long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my Mom placed a  plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I  remember waiting to see if anyone noticed!

Yet all my dad did  was reach for his biscuit, smile at my Mom and ask me how my day was at  school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember  watching him smear butter and jelly on that ugly burned biscuit. He  ate every bite of that thing... Never made a face nor uttered a word  about it!

When I got up from  the table that evening, I remember hearing my Mom apologize to my  dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said:  "Honey, I love burned biscuits every now and then."

Later that night,  I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his  biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Momma put in  a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides - a little  burned biscuit never hurt anyone!"

As I've grown  older, I've thought about that many times. Life is full of imperfect  things and imperfect people. I'm not the best at hardly anything, and I  forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else.   But what I've learned over the  years is that learning to accept each other's faults -  and choosing to celebrate each other's differences - is one of the most  important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting  relationship. 

[source unknown]

An amusing spectacle like a game or a dream

[Thanks to Signalroom]

"One who has seen his true nature no longer regards life as being full of menace and misery as most people do. His previously mistaken sense of personal volition and responsibility has disappeared in such freedom and joy that life is now just an amusing spectacle like a game or a dream, in which he has no real part."
-- Ramesh Balsekar