Dad's Work

I was picking up my father after work today which is near the yoga studio where I do my bi-weekly cleaning work exchange.  I went over to start cleaning, but first I called him to see what time he would like to be picked up as he said he may be done early today.

“What is best for you?” he asked.

“Well I’d like to get an hour of cleaning done.”

“Ok.”  (#1)

So as I was enjoying cleaning on a Friday evening while  listening to the Krishna Das CD that goes with his book that I’m reading (#2), I started thinking about my father and how flexible he is about being picked up from work.

Then I started thinking about some things I have never heard him say.  “Thank God it is Friday.”  “I can’t wait for Friday.”  “I can’t wait for the weekend.”  “Not Monday again.”  “I can’t wait to have a few days off…..”  (#3)

Also whenever he has said, “I have to go into work early.”  or “I have to go back into work.”  or “I have to go into work Sunday morning to check on something.”  It has always been stated as a pure and simple fact.  There is never any sort of tone of complaint in it (#4).  This is how I grew up and it is only today that it is dawning on me that these are qualities of a bodhisattva.

So I mention these things to him when I pick him up, the phrases I’ve never heard him utter.  He responds in a somewhat ominous tone, “Well, Tammy, I’m a lot luckier than other people.” (#5)

Yes of course this is completely true.

It is also just as true that there are plenty of people as “lucky” as him, that would still, find plenty to complain about.