Old Age Brings Its Laughs

The father was getting very old and forgetful. His daughter felt that it was time for her to find a good retirement home for him. He did not agree at all, he was sure that he was able to manage as he was. There were times when he went upstairs and forgot why, but that happens to us all does it not?


The daughter decided to consult the doctor. Her question to him was very simple, “How do you discern the correct time to take a person into a home?”

“Ah,” said the doctor, “we run a small test, on the basis of the reaction we decide.” “What is the test?” asked the daughter.

“It is simple,” said the doctor. “First we fill the bath with water. They are told they have to empty it. Once it is fairly full we offer the client a choice; they can choose a spoon, a cup or a bucket.”

The daughter looked at him, “That is so simple, surely they choose the bucket. That way they can empty the bath the fastest.”

“No,” said the doctor, “most people would pull the plug. Do you want a bed near the window and when do you want to come in?

The master had a very clever student for whom he had high hopes. The student was aware of this and held the master in very high regard. So he was concerned when one day he broke the master’s precious cup.

He gathered up the broken pieces and approached the master, keeping the broken cup hidden.

“Master, why do people have to die?” he asked. The master looked at him and replied, “This is the natural way of things. Everything has to die and has only so long to live. For everything there is a season.”

The student produced the cup from behind his back, “It was time for this cup to die,” he said.

The master could only grin; the tension had been removed from a difficult situation with humour.

I hope today I made you grin, if not laugh.



This blog is linked to my other where I discuss the artwork:- Ross 2

Fear of Nothing

For the past week or so I have been looking back and remembering events and people from my past. They bring a warm glow and a deep sense of joy to remember people who you shared very intimate and meaningful moments with. I sometimes worry though when I get into such reflective moods that involve my looking back. There can be nothing worse than having to listen to the musings of the past. My students used to remind me frequently they were not really interested in yesterday but tomorrow seemed interesting. Anyway I am reminded frequently that time moves ever onward, every time I go into my wallet and the moths have cleared I see my bus pass looking at me and reminding me. Even worse the man who lives at the back of my shaving mirror keeps telling me.


Does age bring anything worthwhile? I am told it has helped me mellow, my family do not agree. I am told it has helped me be less reckless, neither I nor my family agree. I am told it makes me more thoughtful before I speak, then why do I keep putting my mouth in gear before engaging my brain? So have I learned anything?

There is a story of the general who with his army was taking village after village into the control of his ruler. One day before he attacked a village the villagers on hearing of his coming all fled except for the old sage. Curious the general on hearing about this old sage went to see the old man. When he was not greeted with the respect he thought he deserved or bowed to as a victor ought to be he flew into an angry rage. "You fool," he shouted as he reached for his sword, "don't you realize you are standing before a man who could run you through without blinking an eye!” But despite the threat, the old man seemed unmoved. "And do you realize," he replied calmly, "that you are standing before a man who can be run through without blinking an eye?"

Have I learned anything? One great and important thing I have learned. I do not fear tomorrow no matter what it might bring. I have had too many mornings to worry about them anymore. When I think of all the times I have fretted needlessly, worried to no point it seems that the greatest of things is to know that tomorrow is not something I can do much about.

I can though make the very most of today without blinking an eye. This is the way of Tao.

This blog is linked to my other where I discuss the art used:-The Boatyard

Going With The Flow

They had been together for many years, Jim and Mary, yet they were as close as the day they were married. The neighbours used to comment on how when either was leaving the house on their own the other came to the front door and they parted with a kiss. This day was no different. Jim was heading to meet up with some of his old cronies from the war years, a reunion lunch. Mary had packed his overnight bag for him and made sure he had all he needed. As he left she was there at the door with him with his farewell kiss.


Jim headed off in his car, heading for the venue; he thought the journey might take him just over an hour if he took the M1 motorway. It would be good to see the boys again and to chat over the old days. When they met they always had a grand night sharing jokes and laughs.

He had been gone about forty-five minutes when the phone in the car rang and Marys voice came over the speaker. “Jim,” she said, “be very careful. I have just heard the news on the radio, there is a car travelling the wrong way up the M1. He replied, “A car going the wrong. Let me tell you there is more than one going the wrong way there seems to be about a hundred of them.”

There is another story of an old man who was seen one day by a crowd of people as he jumped into a raging river. They all stood in awe as they watched him certain that he would be swept over the falls to his death. As they watched they saw him being swept ever closer and then without warning over the cliff in the raging waterfall. They gasped and held their breaths. Then as they watched they saw him emerge from the water and head back towards them.

When he arrived back at the spot where he had entered the water they asked him how he had managed it. He told them that he had fallen into this river at that spot as a very young child. The natural reaction of a child is to merge with the water and not to try and fight against it. He had learned this and for the rest of his life he had on a regular basis used this as a form of exercise.

There are times when it is wiser to go with the flow than to fight against it, to go with the crowd and not find you are heading straight into certain danger. But there are also times when to make a stand or to make a change of direction is the way to go. The wise thing is to know when and where.


This blog is linked to my other blog where I discuss the artwork used it can be seen at:-  The Flow of Life

Thanks to all those who have sent messages of well wishes. Still in a great deal of pain but am assured it will get better after a couple of weeks.