Midnight Rider

Hey Guys,

So let me preface this post by stating that this is not as much of a comment, but rather much more of a question that I pose to you all. If you have no interest in reading what I have to write, please feel free to skip down to the bottom of my post and read my question :)

So, during our previous meeting last week, Laura and I shared our opinions on our respective meditations and as well discussed our opinions on Sally Kempton's book. I noted how I loved that the book was broken down into small sections, was written with an introductory language, contained various in-text exercises, and as well was written in a dialouge/conversation formation. By this, I believe that the book is a lot less her talking and lecturing to me, which I find most books to be, but rather her having a talking with me. It is somewhat difficult to explain through typing, but definitely something I noticed.

However, as I shared with Laura, my favorite aspect of her book were the small little quotes sandwiched into the sides of the pages. Even though I was very unfamiliar with many of the authors of the quotes, they each spoke to me and provided deep concepts for thought. In fact, while I was reading, I tended to find myself sitting on a certain page, playing out the entire story line and meaning of the quote through my imagination.

During class, I shared with Laura that my favorite quote, from Sally Kempton's book, was the quote from Rumi, who wrote:

"The spirit is so near that you can't see it!
But reach for it...
Don't be the rider who gallops call night
And never sees the horse this is beneath him"

To me, this quote summarized everything that was the weekend before. As I also discussed with the class, my in-class meditation was very focused about the weekend that I spent with my girlfriend. As she was only visiting for the weekend, I tried to plan everything down to the wire and was always wondering if she was enjoying her time. I never really thought about how I was feeling, or more importantly, just living in the moment and enjoying being in her company. Instead of doing the aforementioned things, I was always one step ahead and was thinking of what next needs to be done. I never really sat back and enjoyed the time we were spending together. My eyes were fixed on the goal and prize, making her happy.

That is why Rumi's quote really speaks to me. He talks about not being the rider who rides through the night, who never acknowledges the horse beneath him. To me, Rumi is talking about really living in the present and really acknowledging your surroundings. Although the goal might be important, it is no where near as important as the process. Another example would be our college experiences. We should not only be focused on graduating, which would be riding through the night to reach our destination, as we should be concerned about meeting new people and trying new things. The experience, and acknowledging the present, is sometimes just as important as the goal. But then again, I could be completely wrong and am way off track on Rumi's quote.

So as promised, here is the question I post to you all: What was/it your favorite quote from Sally Kempton's book? Was there one quote that you enjoyed or made you think more than others? If so, please feel free to share the quote, the page number, and a small explanation about how that quote affects your understanding of everything.

Best,

Ethan

PS: The title of the post, "Midnight Rider" has nothing to do with the post, I just love the song :)