Like so much Eastern philosophy it sounds so simple as to be obvious. That is what always bugs me about the stuff the Dalai Lama comes up with. His quips seem meaningless and banal to me, nothing to really chew one. He has been eclipsed by Hallmark Card writers. But this piece of Eastern wisdom is beautifully stated, yet pragmatic in a Western way.

I lived my earlier life like a pile of leaves that was tossed into the wind. I never knew exactly where I would fall, but I did learn to readjust to my surroundings quickly. I always thought of it as a dance in my mind. No matter what crazy place I found myself, I always maintained a healthy respect for basic physics and psychology, no doubt the reason I am still alive. That and a little luck. So many people I knew through the years lived life in free fall, like crash test dummies. They were the canaries in the mineshaft and warned me when it was time to back up a little. Most are long dead now. Quite a few made some impressive splats that stuck with me as cautionary tales.

I am enjoying the Autumn years and a stable routine. The dance has gotten subtler, life's readjustments more precise and defined. It is like I am putting a border around the tapestry of my life these final years to make it a complete piece. I am in a very good place right now and will stay in this saddle as long as I can...