A rock answers with a stone face when I ask it for the time. A cat may meow if interested or stare off into space when asked for time. My dog may relieve himself on a tree if I ask him for the time. A flower might bloom or whittle away if asked for the time.

So why ask a rock, cat, dog or a flower what time is it? Rocks, cats, dogs, flowers are rocks, cats, dogs and flowers regardless of time. They will stone face me, meow, bark, bloom or wither regardless of time.

If a rock asked me for the time I would stone face it. If a cat, dog or a flower asked me for the time I would not answer. They don’t need to know the time. Why should I answer? Why should they answer me?

So why should I care about time? I will wake up, sit on my zafu, shave, shower, eat breakfast, go to work, come home, be with my family, read a little, sleep, wake up and do the same again the next day. I will do this. Whatever this is in front of me. If asked for the time I should answer with waking up, sitting, shaving, showering, eating, working, coming home, being with family, reading a little, sleeping and just living. There is nothing but this, this in front of my being, the time being of now.

My left toe, attached to the tip of my nose and my nose, attached to my left toe would be shocked by the question “Hey guys, how long is the round trip to visit each other? How much in gasoline do you spend for the trip?” They would say “Stupid! No time at all. We are attached to this being!”

And so, if I ask myself, how long before I can get off this zafu to get on with my day, the answer should be “Stupid! No time at all, you are attached to this day!”

And so, if I ask myself, how long before the end of the month so I can go on vacation, the answer should be “Stupid! No time at all, you are attached to this month!”

And so, if I ask myself, I can’t wait until tonight to see if I won the lottery after the drawing, the answer should be “Stupid! No time at all, you are attached to this day, night and the lottery prize! It’s all yours! Now!”

Just the ramblings of an old fool wearing a watch.

Gassho, John