I love to wake up in the predawn hours of a new day.  The sky is dark.  The stars twinkle in the moonlight.  Silence permeates the air.

I come downstairs, brew a cup of tea and listen.  I can hear the tick of the clock, the hum of the refrigerator, and the aliveness in my body.  I can feel my heart beat, pumping blood through my body.  I can sense my nerve impulses as I press my thumb to forefinger. 

I close my eyes and see my inner universe.  That darkness that moves into different shapes.  Sometimes the shapes are distinct circles, triangles, squares.  Sometimes blurred shades of light.

It’s at this time that I savor the warm liquid of my tea and contemplate my teabag wisdom.  I’ve accumulated sayings from the past few days.  Each one a profound statement of life.

“The taller the bamboo grows, the lower it bends.” Chinese proverb

These saying have so much meaning.  A modern version of the tall bamboo proverb is the saying, “The higher you climb, the farther you fall.”

“The longest journey is the journey inward.” Dag Hammarskjold

When we think about journeys, we always seem to be moving from one place to another.  How many of us stop to take a breath and contemplate the sacredness and miracle of our own lives.

“To know the road ahead, ask those coming back.” Chinese proverb

Have you ever taken a long hike in the woods?  When I’m hiking, especially uphill, my mind is always drifting to, “Where’s the top?  When will I be there?”  Then I see someone on the path and they tell me the end is right around the next corner and suddenly I breathe a sigh of relief and move on.

“When ego is lost, limit is lost.”

We all have an ego, some bigger than others.  But when we can put aside our egos, we begin to stop striving.  When that happens, the possibilities in life open up.

“Joy is the essence of success.”

Ah.  This is my favorite.  Everyone defines success differently.  For some it’s reaching the top in your career.  For others it’s owning a home and an expensive care.  To me, success in life is happiness and joy.  

So what is your favorite saying?