And It’s a Good One.
Shortly after releasing Wisdom Toolkit to the world, I was already in my head, stuck in my endless cluttering chatter.
“Even my friends are not responding to my writing, who’s going to read these?”
“My writing is not good. That’s why it’s not resonating.”
“And I have to carry on writing to get this going because I started it.”
When all of that sunk in me, I remembered the “1 out of 100” rule. A tool I acquired at a zen temple.
I was living in a zen temple then.
Oshosama, the abbot, was discussing how to carry out a zen event with another lady who helped the temple. It was about a zazen session which was to take place somewhere outside the temple.
It might have been about the way to promote the event, or how to provide the material at the event. To me, it sounded too much of a hassle for the expected turnout… which made me question Oshosama.
“So, you’re still going to do all of that, even though it’s probably not going to reach so many?”
Oshosama answered,
“That’s not a probability, but simply the reality. There may be no reward, but we’ll do what we have to do.”
Later, the lady told me taking on a zen lineage is not just about carrying on the teachings as they were, but rather, bettering them; the teachings that had been passed on for hundreds of years. And the biggest mission in Oshosama’s life is to find someone who can outdo himself, better his wisdom even a millimetre and pass it on to the next generation.
That’s why he keeps on going, with 100% of himself each time.
Life is a losing game if you count the number: offerings of care, compassion, teachings or even material gifts rarely get appreciated as much as the time and thought that went into them.
But the truth is, we all thrive for the one. The one that rewards all the losses in the past. The minimum threshold is one. Life may be more than what you can count.
My writing may not be good, but there is something only I can write about.
And if that resonates with 1 out of 100, that’s my win.
This platform enables me to shoot as many tools as I want into the sky, so some-one can pick it up one day.
My thoughts shifted.
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