"After Enlightenment, the Laundry"

When I first chanced upon this Zen proverb, it puzzled me. I began to think what laundry could possibly have to do with enlightenment. But as I reflected upon it further, the meaning started becoming clear.  The message that this proverb tries to convey is that we shouldn’t put off those things for later, which bring a deep sense of joy and contentment in us. We must do them at the first opportunity available to us.

We often tend to go on postponing things indefinitely and before we know it, we find that our entire life has already gone by. How many times have you found yourself worrying about something superficial that would hold little or no importance in the larger picture? Don’t we find ourselves obsessing about appearances when, in fact, we should be looking deeper? We get so engaged in the embellishments of a story that we miss its essence completely. Peter F Ducker, an American educator and writer, once said, “There is nothing so useless as efficiently doing that which should not be done at all.” But the irony is that we spend most of our time perfecting the periphery. We get so deeply involved in the trivial matters of life that we end up ignoring the deeper concerns, things which would make us truly happy and give meaning to our lives. It needn’t be something other worldly or spiritual; it could be anything that gives us a sense of fulfillment.

Whatever it is that you may be seeking, be it enlightenment or a material possession, it is imperative to realize that now is the time to follow your dreams.  You can always do the laundry later; the trivial things can wait. It is up to you to identify your purpose in life and give it all that you’ve got before it’s too late. Things will not line up in the fashion you’ve imagined. Don’t wait for the appropriate time or for your mind to be in the right place. Act now. There is never going to be a more opportune moment.

If you aspire to live a life of totality, then don’t get lost in the small things. Keep a steady focus on your goal instead of getting distracted by the unnecessary details. Don’t waste your time in doing things that wouldn’t matter in the long run. They might give you temporary relief but won’t quench your thirst for good.

Thus, the proverb points to us that time is fleeting and stresses on the power of being fully present in this moment. Identify your calling and devote yourself completely to it. As the great Buddha once said, “Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart, give yourself to it”