Chop Wood, Carry Water

There is a Zen proverb that says, 

"Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.

After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water."

I've always used this directive as advice with a slightly different meaning.

When the difficult side of life presents itself,

and there's no way to fix it,

I remind myself to tend to the tasks of daily life

until conditions unfold one way or another.

Chop wood, carry water.

Photo Credit: Gary Coté 

radfordpl.org

 

Today, warm and sunny, life's travails at hand,

 I "chopped wood, carried water" 

by working outside cleaning up winter's decay.

And at the end of the afternoon,

spring's promise:

the tiniest purple violet poised to unfurl,

hiding itself under a leaf, tender and green.

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