01-14-2005, 04:31 AM
Dave returned from a doctor's visit one day and told his wife Doreen that the doctor said he only had 24 hours to live.Wiping away her tears, he asked her to make love with him. Of course, she agreed and they made passionate love.
Six hours later, Dave went to her again and said, "Honey, now I only have 18 hours left to live. Maybe we could make love again?" Doreen agreed, and again, they made love.
Later, Dave was getting into bed when he realized he now had only eight hours of life left. He touched Doreen's shoulder and said, "Honey? Please? Just one more time before I die." She agreed, then afterward, she rolled over and fell asleep. Dave, however, heard the clock ticking in his head, and he tossed and turned until he was down to only four more hours.
He tapped his wife on the shoulder to wake her up. "Honey, I only have four hours left! Could we?" His wife sat up abruptly, turned to him and said, "Listen Dave, I have to get up in the morning! You don't!"
Six hours later, Dave went to her again and said, "Honey, now I only have 18 hours left to live. Maybe we could make love again?" Doreen agreed, and again, they made love.
Later, Dave was getting into bed when he realized he now had only eight hours of life left. He touched Doreen's shoulder and said, "Honey? Please? Just one more time before I die." She agreed, then afterward, she rolled over and fell asleep. Dave, however, heard the clock ticking in his head, and he tossed and turned until he was down to only four more hours.
He tapped his wife on the shoulder to wake her up. "Honey, I only have four hours left! Could we?" His wife sat up abruptly, turned to him and said, "Listen Dave, I have to get up in the morning! You don't!"
I realise that I have a past to break with--an accumulation of inertia, wrong, foolishness, rot, junk. A great need of clarification, of mindfulness, or rather, of no mind. A need to return to genuine practice, right effort. Need to push on the great doubt. Need for the spirit. Hang on to the clear light.
Thomas Merton
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