200 First Dates
Dear friends,
I was speaking with someone a few days ago. He was a bit disappointed he had not made a bit more progress in his spiritual life. We chatted further and I found he had read about many different paths and practiced what he could from several. He was a sincere energetic fellow, so what was the impediment?
It occurred to me that it was like a fellow who really wanted to be married and had been on 200 first dates. At some point one needs to make a deeper commitment than that! Find something that resonates with you and determine to go out multiple times.
Otherwise it's like owning a farm and wanting to dig for water so you can put in a well. You dig six feet here, six feet over there, and then six feet over there, frustrated at not finding water. So you pick six or seven more places to dig six feet. I'm afraid that's not going to work.
In his case he always felt that there might be something better around the corner (or in the next book). That may even be true, but it is not relevant. It is rightly said that perfection is the enemy of the good.
No one signs a contract when exploring a particular spiritual path more deeply than a first date. But taking a one-quarter teaspoon of a new food to taste it does not really tell you whether to buy the meal.
May our various fears and tendencies not prevent us from diving deep in pursuit of what is really important to us. Resist the urge to go from this to that around and near our goal, but rather find the courage and strength to pursue what our soul knows is best for us.
Blessings,
David G., manager
For the staff at East West