I'm still a PBS Kid ;-)

I completely “geeked out” last night which, I think, is an accurate description of what you’d call watching a two hour PBS documentary on Buddhism. My 6th graders do go on a virtual journey to Ancient China and India, but it’s summer and there I was, drawn into the teachings of the man that was to be called The Buddha. While I was raised in the Baptist church, I find that Buddhism has appeal to so many religions and I am slowly adding to my belief in the theory that each major religions’ prophets’ teachings shared the same message. I get so frustrated with the stupidity and ignorance of people and the answer could be so simple if people followed a few simple rules for living:

1. Share what you've learned. Some of us have been through a few levels of hell and survived the journey. What was it worth if we didn't gain wisdom (and a few gray hairs) in the journey? Don’t hide like I have. Scream, yell, write.
2. Leave light so others can follow after you've gone. Kind of like leaving a hall light on for that far journey to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Why let someone stub their toe in the same spot that you did, when you could, instead, lead them in the right direction.
3. We've turned this world into an evil place, but it doesn't have to be that way. Start with you, Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror.” Or as the Baptist hymn suggests, let your little light shine. Heck, even President George Bush, Sr. talked about the 1000 points of light.
4. As Buddha said to Brahma when asked why he was so different, “I was the one who woke up.” Wake up, people!

Be the lotus flower whose seed is planted in the muck below the flowing river, that fights through the muddy water and finds the sun, in spite of it all, and blooms to brighten and pollinate the world with it’s beauty. That’s us.

I’m looking for some fellow lotus blossoms; blue, white, purple, yellow. I’m looking for a bouquet.