From May 10, 2012

In honor of Craig Lundwall, a dear friend who died in 2001 and whose birth date is today, August 3, I offer these words from Thich Naht Hanh.

Like a wave...

A wave may seem to have a beginning and end. A wave might be seen as high or low, big or small, different or not different from other waves. These terms--beginning, ending, high, low, more or less beautiful--they belong to the dimension called historical, but the wave is at the same time the water. Water transcends the form of the wave, the idea of beginning, ending, high, or low.

These notions apply to the wave but not to the water. The moment when the wave realizes that she is water, she loses all her fear and she enjoys much more being a wave. She is free from birth and death, being and non-being, high or low, because when we are able to touch our ultimate dimension, we are no longer subjected to fear--fear of being; fear of non-being; fear of birth; fear of death.

This is a very, very deep practice. When you've touched your true foundation, your true nature, the nature of no birth and no death, then non-fear arises. And with non-fear, true happiness will become possible.

Friends of Craig who wish to support the memorial scholarship for outstanding social work students at Western Connecticut State University can click here for more information.

Click here to view a brief video to honor the memory of Craig.