Thought for 2010

In India, I was living in a little hut, about six feet by
seven feet. It had a canvas flap instead of a door. I was
sitting on my bed meditating, and a cat wandered in and
plopped down on my lap. I took the cat and tossed it out
the door. Ten seconds later it was back on my lap. We got
into a sort of dance, this cat and I. I tossed it out
because I was trying to meditate, to get enlightened. But
the cat kept returning. I was getting more and more
irritated, more and more annoyed with the persistence of
the cat. Finally, after about a half-hour of this coming
in and tossing out, I had to surrender. There was nothing
else to do. There was no way to block off the door. I sat
there, the cat came back in and it got on my lap. But I
did not do anything. I just let go. Thirty seconds later
the cat got up and walked out.

- Joseph Goldstein