Perhaps a great silence....

Si no pudimos ser unanimes
moviendo tanto nuestras vidas,
tal vez no hacer nada una vez,
tal vez un gran silencio pueda
interrumpir esta tristeza,
este no entendernos jamas
y amenazarnos con la muerte,
tal vez la tierra nos ensenie
cuando todo parece muerto
y luego todo estaba vivo.

Ahora contare hasta doce
y tu te callas y me voy.

--Pablo Neruda.

If we weren't unanimous
about keeping our lives so much in motion,
if we could do nothing for once,
perhaps a great silence would
interrupt this sadness,
this never understanding ourselves
and threatening ourselves with death,
perhaps the earth is teaching us
when everything seems to be dead
and then everything is alive.

Now I will count to twelve
and you keep quiet and I'll go.

--Translated by Stephen Mitchell.

I leave tomorrow to attend a weekend vipassana meditation retreat led by a South African Buddhist meditation teacher, Arinna Weisman.

If you'd like to spend a peaceful hour in the presence of her humility, humor, and kindness, there's a link to a streaming talk here. I won't be Blipping during the retreat. I'll be back Sunday or Monday. May you all have a peaceful weekend.