Encounters with the Universe

Yesterday, between appointments, I grabbed a seat in a busy coffee shop. I noticed a man sitting next to me, oblivious to all around him. He was wearing a headset and writing in a notebook. I'm not one to judge a book too much by its cover, but he seemed to be around 30, pale, blond, and like what Matt Damon would look like in Saving Private Ryan if he gained 60 pounds.

His Zen engagement calendar was also on the table. I said, "Can I disturb you?"

He looked up.

I said, "I love seeing someone writing in a notebook. Can you read me something from the Zen book?"

He said, "It's not a poem book. It's a calendar."

"Can you read me something from your calendar?"

He opened the book and read this:

  When you see
  plum blossoms
  or hear the sound
     of a small stone
       hitting bamboo,
  That is a letter
  from the world
  of emptiness.

He explained that "emptiness" was a positive concept, that when you are in touch with emptiness, you are in touch with your life force, and not filling your head with noisy chatter.

I quietly wrote in my journal, then, "Can I disturb you again?" I said, disturbing him. "What does 'trust' mean to you?"

Long pause, then he said, "Trust means that you can relax."