I was waiting on the side of a busy street. Traffic flowed by like thoughts in neural pathways, sometimes speeding, sometimes congested. I saw occasional acts of kindness and many missed opportunities to make people feel better. Across the street the automatic doors of a large supermarket were opening and shutting continuously.A woman emerged carrying several paper bags filled with groceries. A box fell off the top of one and her careful balancing act was in jeopardy. She was in a dilemma that I was sadly unable to help her with; and no one else around even seemed to notice. At such moments a universal empathy switches on. I knew what it was like, the feeling of awkwardness, foolishness, irritation with self and the universe. It was not hard to imagine her instinctive thoughts. Should she
03 July 2014, The Tablet
Mindfulness, like faith, without good works is a spiritually dead thing
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