Do The Dishes!

Every single day of our lives (if we are fortunate) we wake up and eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. And, I don't know about you, but I would prefer not eating off of paper plates. So,  the unfortunate by-product of our daily diet routine is the accumulation of dirty plates, cups, glasses, knives, forks, spoons, etc. It is prudent and tidy to regularly wash up after each meal and put those utensils away so we can use them the next time. However, and I know you have done this too, sometimes I elect to just let those ol' dishes pile up for a day or two. What a terrifying prospect to face when I finally get around to actually getting cleaned up. Which, of course, intensifies my desire never to do that again! Have I learned that lesson more than once? Have you?

Miyamoto Musashi, the famous 17th century Japanese swordsman, wrote that we should "never be negligent, even in trifling matters..." He knew, as a martial artist, that those trifling matters tended to pile up and present an unnecessary burden for our daily lives (already tough enough already). And, so to keep a tidy mind, we needed to keep a tidy lifestyle. Thus releasing us more from the mundane so we can more often seek the higher learning associated with art, music, and literature. And, even more important to the martial artist, the ability to be free of earthly cares when training in the deadly arts.

So, go do the dishes. And, in 30 minutes when you are picked up, go put on your uniform and train!

Master B

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