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The Beautiful Foolishness of Things

by Ingrid Goff-Maidoff

"I am still learning." ~Michelangelo

"Meanwhile, let us have a sip of tea.
The afternoon glow is brightening the
bamboo, the fountains are bubbling
with delight, the soughing of the pines
is heard in our kettle.
Let us dream of evanescence, and linger
in the beautiful foolishness of things."
~Okakura Kakuso
from The Book Of Tea

"Let us dream of evanescence, and linger in the beautiful foolishness of things." When I read this line from Okakura Kakuso's Book Of Tea, I immediately feel myself relaxing- moving into a place of calm acceptance. There is a level of beautiful foolishness in my life: my family life, spiritual life, work life- all of it, and when I embrace this I feel very content.

When I resist the beautiful foolishness, I feel much more rigid and tight and stuck, actually. When I accept the beautiful fool that I am, and I am able to laugh at myself ~ or with myself for that matter, life is sweeter and more blessed.

I think that every day has ample moments of beautiful foolishness, and at least one "cosmic joke", usually several. When I accept a situation even though it isn't my idea of perfection, it is so relaxing.

I was in a shop the other day and there was a fly there which the salesgirl confessed she'd been at odds with all day. It seemed to be buzzing around her wherever she went. I found myself suggesting that this was her "cosmic joke" for the day, and I could see that this made her laugh, relax, and accept the fly.

When I was fresh out of college, I decided to become a hermit in the mountains, and live by myself in a life close to God. I lasted little more than a week, and was then enticed back down to earth by my college boyfriend. This was the cosmic joke to end a series of cosmic jokes all of which were played on me during my solitary quest.

Through life's daily cosmic jokes I am still learning not to take myself too seriously. I am still learning to lighten up, laugh, relax, and to surrender my desire to control or perfect every situation. I am still learning to see the perfection in life's beautiful foolishness.

As you move about your day, consider paying attention to the beautiful foolishness, and to the cosmic jokes - all of which originate from life's abundant blessings.

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