“But when all you do comes out of nothingness, then you have everything…That is what we mean by naturalness.” — Zen Master Shunrya Suzuki

 

There’s something about nothingness that is precious these days, perhaps even more than in the years gone by. I’d like to see something more meaningful than television. I’m okay with the radio and the music but I sometimes avoid that.

While driving I sometimes pay attention to what is on the radio. Quite often I turn it off.

Wasn’t there a song about the sound of silence that touches on nothingness?

At the moment Fred is laying beside me. Much of the time Mello is present and during the day instead of resting they bark, not all the time but much of it.

Then the snow arrived and not like snow is expected to fall. That first day or night we watched chilled rain and gradually the chilled rain turned whiter and brought out the shovels and snow blowers. The wet snow was not something to look forward to shoveling.

I guess I was somewhat surprised, expecting to see snow that usually doesn’t wait until December. I didn’t mind.

Mellow and Fred barked as a neighbor down the way walked by with her dog. Mello offered a whimpering whine and our little Fred the Jack Russel Terrior explained his “how do you do” with his non-stop barking. Then he quieted down until another dog’s bark behind the house called out his or her own bark and Fred renewed his barking at a steady pace.

I’ve received a little box in the mail and wondered what it could be? Low and behold they were my hearing aids that have spent months in Denver being reconditioned.

I’m wearing them as I type and they both step up the sounds. Even Mello’s whimper is stronger.

Now the dogs are into chewing each other’s legs and ears before switching to pull the mop strings. Mello won their first round and now Fred is back in there. And I’ve had enough.

Off to the pool.