A Tale for the Time Being

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ZAZEN

but memories are time beings, too, like cherry blossoms or ginkgo leaves; for a while they are beautiful, and then they fade and die.

or making people feel okay about themselves just by being there.

I don’t know any prayers, so I just make them go round and round and say blessings in my head for all the things and people I love, and when I run out of things I love, I move on to the things I don’t hate too much, and sometimes I even discover that I can love the things I think I hate.

When no one was looking, I slipped some Melty Kisses into her hand, too.

I’ve gone and wasted all these beautiful pages and failed to achieve my goal, which was to write about Jiko and her fascinating life while I still had time, before she died. And now it’s too late. Talk about temps perdu. I’m sorry my dear old Jiko. I love you, but I screwed up.

Haruki #1 was struggling with the most profound moral and existential issues of genocide and war and the consequences of his imminent death, and we’re upset about a missing cat? How is this even possible?

I don’t want to die, Maman! I don’t want to die!

I don’t want to die.

The cruelest punishments now fail to bring even a tear to my eye, but the thought of the hardship you’ve suffered on behalf of your ideals makes me weep like a baby.

I do not regret my lie, however. I would do anything to spare you more grief.