THE MILLS OF GODS GRIND SLOWLY

There is an old Arabian proverb. It goes like this:

“Both, the fast and the slow, will meet each other

on the (same) ferry boat.”

I get the point… I miss the point!

Obviously, when I see myself on a fast lane, it’s clear, that I have missed the point. And, when I see myself on the slow lane, yes, it’s clear, that I have got the point.

Life has been like this, to me, all through my six decades… Run, only to realize, that, no matter how fast I run, in the end, I will have to meet my slow-counterparts on the same ferry boat…

So, why run, at all?

But, I run… Because, I live!

Then, some wise soul comes along to show me the amazing beauty of bird-nests… How slow and steady, always, do it so amazingly… And, even if the big birds and big humans destroy their homes in a blink… They, will patiently build it again!

My wife and I have just returned from a two-day Tai Chi camp at Lonavala. As we stepped out of the Tai Chi hall, we could see, beneath the trees, a range of beautiful anthills… The surrounding ground was blanketed with dry and wet leaves… The rain pounded the anthills and the dry leaves relentlessly… Just on the sidelines ran a water stream, fiercely, almost intimidatingly… But, the beauty of the pounding rain and roaring stream seemed to have been perfectly placed on the same ‘ferry boat’ where the beauty of the quiet anthills and dry leaves seemed to have been placed… One couldn’t exist without the other… The fast-and-furious was very much needed to show me the quiet-and-patient!

Just like my heart, which cannot exist only beating fast or only beating slow.  From the frantic speed, I learn to appreciate the glory of slowness… Yes, I understand the meaning of another proverb, an Irish one:

“The mills of gods grind slowly, but they grind finely!”

The sea cannot exist with high tides alone, nor with low tides alone. My life, too!

Tai Chi exercises are done slowly with attention. Our Sir, Rakesh Menon, had invited his own teacher (his first Tai Chi teacher), Mr. Lazarus to offer us some of the finer aspects of wellness.

“Why are Tai Chi exercises performed slowly?” Mr. Lazarus asked us.

Though every answer was accepted by Mr. Lazarus, he explained, “Because, slowness makes us feel light.”

“Why do we need to feel light?” Mr. Lazarus asked us next.

We had our answers. He accepted them; but, explained, “Because, lightness makes us feel calm.”

“Why do we need to feel calm?” was the next question.

Our answers apart, Mr. Lazarus explained, “Because, when we are calm, we can concentrate better.”

“Why do we need to concentrate?”

We were explained: “Because, through concentration, we can co-ordinate better.”

Finally, the question was: “What does co-ordination bring to us?”

“Harmony,” concluded our teacher’s teacher!

So, everything that we sought in life was that precious something called ‘Harmony’. And, everything we had to do was to learn to be slow and patient like the little birds, who built their amazing nests, and little white ants, who built their beautiful hills.

I remembered the Lazarus of Bethany, the town near Jerusalem. Lazarus was the brother of Mary and Martha. Jesus was close to them. When Lazarus was very ill, Martha approached Jesus with the request to heal him. But, despite the emergency, and despite the affection Jesus had for the family, he took ‘His own time’ to reach their home. But, when He did, it was too late… Four days were over since Lazarus was dead. “Lord, if you had been here, our brother would have not died,” cried Martha and Mary. The Bible says, that Jesus was moved to tears… He, along with the sisters, went near the tomb, asked the stone to be moved… Then, praying to His Father in Heaven, He did the impossible, with the command: “Lazarus, come out!”

Jesus had performed several miracles according the Gospels. This was one of the miracles, where He had raised a dead to life!

So, as our teacher’s teacher, Mr. Lazarus, was explaining to us the beauty and power of ‘not hurrying’, remaining calm in order to achieve harmony… Yes, I was remembering the Lazarus of Bethany… who was brought to life by The Great Teacher… who had not hurried to do that!

True. We all, the fast and the slow, have to meet each other on the same ferry boat!

GERALD D’CUNGA

Pics.: 1. Birds and Blooms 2. Bigstockphoto.com