Because of Ice-Cream

Thanks to a conversation about ice-cream, I went searching for a post today. You see, today was a very good day. Work was light, I was on fire, I smiled and I laughed and I realized that I do deserve the good things in my life. I have come to the light-side. Somewhere, the Lady by the River is smiling.

So, because of the continuity and synchronicity of life, this good day led me to the following post from May 15th, 2006. It was just after my birthday, I had yet to buy my house and my youngest daughter had not moved it. My marriage was rocky and I was doing whatever I could to save it. It is only slightly modified to put things into context.

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Journey into Mystery

The title of this post comes from a popular comic book in the 1960's. Journey in to Mystery was where the Superhero Thor first appeared (and eventually took over the book). The funny thing about the book after Thor took over the title was that it was not very mysterious anymore. I guess that is why they changed the title to "The Mighty Thor".

End of comic book references.

May of 2006, I was trying to save my marriage and my sanity (failed with the first, succeeded with the second) I had my own journey into mystery. I was sick and unfortunately stayed home from work. I spent most of the day and the next day piled up in my bed. I spent two days digesting the "Tao of Pooh".

I know that the enlightenment is a very personal thing. As Lex Luthor said: 'Some people can read War and Peace and come away thinking it's a simple adventure story. Others can read the ingredients on a chewing gum wrapper and unlock the secrets of the universe.' I have some friends that have read this book and come away with a sense of enjoyment and a spiritual boost. I, on the other hand, have found my teacher... Pooh Bear.

I won't go into details. I'm no preacher and I don't mean to suggest that my understanding is anyone else's understanding, but I have learned some things that have had a profound affect on my life.

There are some ideas in the world that have been communicated to me by my mother, preachers, friends and small children. I had, in my prior resistance to accepting different truths, ignored these things. The thing I am learning is simple: everything happens in its own time and to its own purpose, control is an illusion and (from Master Pooh) every day is a beautiful adventure in living.

I know that all sounds very huggy-feely and squishy... It is. It is precisely all the I'm-ok-you're-ok, huggy-feely, warm-and-fuzzy 'non-sense' I have rejected all my life... but it is verifiable true. There is a heartbeat to nature and a rhythm to life, if you move with that rhythm and stop struggling against it, you will find life much easier and that you will be where you are suppose to be when you are suppose to be there.

Lao Tzu often taught with stories. I have a story for you.

When I was 6 years old and my mother and I lived alone, there was a day when my mom stopped and bought me a strawberry ice cream. I loved strawberry it was my favorite flavor. On the way home my mom ran out of gas (I had no idea how poor we were at the time) and we had to walk to the gas station. On the way my ice cream melted and I remember being sick with worry. I never ate strawberry ice cream again. For 35 years, I ate vanilla.

May 14th of 2006, I fixed dinner for my (then) wife and son. Then we sat down to watch "Dr. Who". I sat down with them and grabbed the last piece of my birthday cake. I asked my wife if she would like some cake. She told me no, but did we have any ice cream? I smiled, thought of Pooh and said "No, but let us go get some."

The three of us went to the 31 Flavors (known in other parts of the country as Baskin-Robbin's). When we entered, we saw that the place was crowded. Prior to then, I would have turned around and left, become frustrated or gone through the drive-through. Instead, I enjoyed the interlude, spoke to other patrons and decided what ice cream I wanted. Thanks to my son's eagle eye, I saw that there was Very-Berry Strawberry and Strawberry Cheesecake. I got a two scoop sundae (patience, there is a point to all of this). I wondered what I would put on a sundae of mainly strawberry (as I didn't think that hot fudge would be good), I relinquished control and didn't even rush to decided. The old, smiling man behind the counter suggested strawberry sauce. He prepared my sundae and put a lid on it (I didn't ask for one) and we drove home.

When we got home, my downstairs neighbor (whom I had never spoken to) came up to us begging us to help her jump off her dead battery. She offered money, etc. I told her not to worry about it, drove over, and jumped off her car so she could get to work.

My ex-wife held my ice cream.

If I had decided NOT to be spontaneous, I would have missed so many things that night: the joy of rediscovering strawberry ice cream, watching my family truly relax with me and the opportunity to help someone. If I had been in a rush, my neighbor would have been late or not gotten to work at all, (as I am sure, she would never have come to knock on our door for help). If I had maintained my illusion of control, my ice cream would have melted to sludge under the hot fudge.

When we walked up stairs my son looked at me in wonder and said: "This thing is really working for you."

He's always been a clever boy.

Everything has its timing and its place. Since then, I have seen this amazing thing over-and-over. The Rhythm of life is so real to me and when you move in harmony with it you are never late and never early. You are where you are supposed to be all the time.

Burn with me