Daily Tao

Oddly enough, there's something isolating about these last weeks before the wedding. How time feels like it's compressing. How my life before wedding planning seems so far away. And my life after the wedding is barely tangible. I feel like I should be creating a cocoon.

In the world today, Afghanistan votes for a legislature and people wonder why life hasn't changed much since electing a president a year ago. Another storm threatens the gulf coast where 6 out of 10 say they're not coming back. It will be months before they can really return, perhaps years to rebuild, long enough to build a life some place else. And the news doesn't say much anymore about the lives after the Tsunami, now 9 months after the great wave of water.

Today I'm immersed in numbers of wedding guests and food choices. Next week we meet with the church musician, the DJ, the other musicians. Only a few minutes to catch up on the news and to find out it might rain tonight and tomorrow. From the lists I'm on, there are other people planning weddings, creating rituals. I am told it is different being married. I often imagine the cool weight of metal on my ring finger. Is there really a way to get perspective at this point? Should I just ride the motion and reflect more later?

Less than 20 days away now.

One of my computer widgets displays a reading from the Tao each day. I check it once a day to check in with myself. To remember what balance is and what life is about.


DailyTao.org
Monday, 19 September, 2005 :: 33

Knowing others is intelligence;
knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering others is strength;
mastering yourself is true power.

If you realize that you have enough,
you are truly rich.
If you stay in the center
and embrace death with your whole heart,
you will endure forever.

Translation by Stephen Mitchel.
DailyTao.org Widget by Glen Sanford.