Mark Nepo

But I had to start to ask, OK, the whole world and life is not in pain and afraid right now.

I am.

So where is the nearest thing to me that's not afraid or in pain?

It was the floor beneath my feet, the ceiling of this study.

It's the sky above the ceiling.

It's the earth that's holding up the foundation of our house.

And not escaping my pain and fear, but allowing myself to feel it and what is holding it is akin to your friend helping a child, but seeing the earth from space.

So the story, which is I love these anonymous teaching stories from centuries.

This is an ancient Hindu teaching story about how to meet pain and fear, which also speaks about this in a very wonderful way.

So in this story, it's an ancient Hindu story.

There's a master and an apprentice always.

And the master, the truth be known, finds the apprentice very annoying because all he does is complain about life.

So the master says to him, I want you to get a handful of salt, put it in a glass of water and bring it to me quietly.

So he does.

And the master says, drink from the glass.

So he drinks, he spits it out.

And the master says, what's the matter?

And the apprentice says, it's bitter.

The master says, I want you to get the same exact amount of salt

Cup it in your hands and follow me quietly.