Knowing and Doing

"There is a difference between knowing the path, and walking the path."
- Morpheus in The Matrix

So this week I received a call from my friend Ken--a very disciplined, and focused individual who is a CPA and is currently working on his CFA accreditation. Ken basically said that I need to stop thinking about passing the exam, and told me to work hard every goddamn day on actually passing the exam. Ken challenged me to treat the exam like a 1/2 marathon or a swim meet. As part of this challenge, told me to only update the blog on the weekends. So until I have this exam completed, I'll only be writing on the weekends.

All the drama of the CPA problem has been flushed out. If I want the designation, I just have to put my ass in a seat for a few hours a day and let the learning happen. Let's see how walking the path goes this week.

So, once again I have revisited the fact that there is a big difference between knowing what to do, and actually doing what you need to do. But I feel good about re-cultivating this practice of CPA study. It will be a challenge, but that's half the fun.....

Namaste

Born at The Right Time

But among the reeds and rushes
A baby girl was found
Her eyes as clear as centuries
Her silky hair was brown

Never been lonely
Never been lied to
Never had to scuffle in fear
Nothing denied to
Born at the instant
The church bells chime
And the whole world whispering
Born at the right time
- Born at the Right Time by Paul Simon

This week Kathryn LeeAnne Davis was ushered into this world, a little darling to give her dad even more gray hair than he already has. I received the phone call today from my good friend and blog reader, Mark Davis--also known as "MAD." And with her appearance in this big world of ours, I have been thinking about the miracle of life. I'm not going to get into how beautiful birth--I saw the videos in high school biology and the birthing process was anything but lovely--but when I think about the idea of new life, I think about two words: "unlimited possibility."

When we celebrate Christmas, we retell the story of a little baby born with a bunch of animals to a young mother, and a man who is not his biological father. I think the reason we keep telling this story is because whenever a new life comes into this world, regardless of the conditions and circumstances, there is this overwhelming hope and joy that they will be wondrous, and do things that can't be understood at the time of their birth. The biological connection aside, that is what I think is truly wondrous about Katie's appearance on this planet.

So congratulations, Mark and Kin. I know you two will be amazing parents.

Namaste

Outside and Within

"I have realized that the past and future are real illusions, that they exist in the present, which is what there is and all there is."
- Alan Watts

So today at Starbuck's, I saw a woman wearing a plastic bracelet that said, "Be in the present." She was putting cream and sugar in her coffee, and talking on a cell phone at the same time. A few days ago I was talking with one of the guys I swim with about Buddhist precepts, and he quoted Buddha and made heavy references to The Tibetan Book of the Dead. When I asked if he had a meditation practice, he looked at me like I was mildly crazy, and said, "No, I've never done that."

A few months ago I came across a quote that said we are all experts at practicing virtue at a distance. This is true. But I think there is a deeper issue staring us in the face here. If a person wants to make changes, they are going to have let go of habits and behaviors, or do certain things differently. On top of this, I think it is really important to step back and ask oneself if they are really living consistently with what they present to the world.

Namaste