Where Daffodils Are Rare

We were on vacation in Mexico last week, and i chuckled to see one particular sidewalk vendor who was selling single potted daffodils, a hyacinth, and a stargazer lily. This vendor always sat on the north side of the block, in the shade, to keep his 10 pots of flowers as cool as possible. These cold-weather plants are as rare for Mexicans as bougainvillea and bird-of-paradise are for us here in the North Country.

It's startling to see something you take for-granted, like snow, treated as a rarity by someone else--a visitor from Burma or Uruguay, for instance.

The first step of our spiritual path, according to the Buddha, is generosity. This week, i am giving away blooming hyacinths in their vases. The recipients are always appreciative. "Oh, spring," they sigh.

But, once in a while, someone will say, "Why do you do that? Don't you want to keep them? Or at least keep the vases?"

Our spiritual path is all about letting go. Giving with an open hand. Eventually, we will have to let go of everything. Even our bodies. I'm just practicing by letting go of little things.