I just posted a music video for Marc-Alan Barnette’s single “Less Is More” to YouTube.
My partner Randy DeFord and I shot this video down at Jay’s Place in Nashville last month. Owner Jay Vern is a good friend who hooked us up with Marc-Alan. The idea was that we (Jay, Marc-Alan, Randy and me) would be a good fit. We all enjoy doing good work for its own sake as opposed to shooting for fame. Talking to Marc-Alan when we got down there, it became clear that Jay had a great vision. We had an amazing time together and I think the end product really reflects the day’s fun .
*But thats not what I came to tell you about
Came to talk about the draft
Just kidding. What I came to talk about was a troll.
There is a person who follows us around and every time Randy or I post anything about our work online, he/she takes pot shots at us. The person uses different identities on different sites but you can tell from the writing style it’s always the same person.
I find myself both aggravated and amused by this person. Aggravated because no matter what we do, this little mosquito of a person has to sit there and poke at us. Amused because I realize that this person is fueled by insecurity and that their efforts amount to nothing but exposing their shortcomings.
The interesting part about the aggravation/amusement is that I experience both emotions simultaneously. It’s almost as though the aggravation and amusement occur separately from me. It sounds like what I’m supposed to be doing with meditation. Watching the emotion, acknowledging it, then releasing it.
Well, except I’m not releasing it. I still experience these emotions every few minutes. But at least it’s not all negative emotions. There’s even a bit of compassion there for the sorry ass…excuse me…troubled individual. (I only said, “a bit”)
It reminds me of what is one of my favorite teachings. I’m paraphrasing.
Two monks, one older and one younger, were traveling through the countryside. At one point they came to a raging river. Standing at the river’s edge was a young woman. She was upset because she couldn’t figure out how to get across the river.
Knowing that his vows prohibited him from touching women, the young monk walked straight past her and, with some difficulty, crossed the river. But the older monk picked the young woman up on his back and carried her across the river. When he got the other side, she got off of him. She thanked him and went their separate ways.
As they walked, the younger monk was clearly irritated by something. The older monk asked what the problem was. The younger man asked the older monk how he could carry that woman when he knew it was wrong.
The older monk said, “You know, I put her down a few miles back. You’re still carrying her.”
So what have I learned?
In the past, this is the kind of thing that would have angered me for long periods of time. The notion that someone would choose to mess with me like this would really chap my ass.
While I haven’t even come close to understanding the beauty Buddhism has to offer, perhaps I’ve made the tiniest of first steps.
Or maybe I’m just mellowing with age.
Or maybe it’s the holidays.
*Happy Holidays.
Buddhist Thought of the Day
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