Here I am thinking of old friends, again. Remembering old friends in the sangha. This prompted by a long phone call yesterday. Through much thick, and some thin, the sangha endures. But what is it that endures? Conditions endure. The push/pull of cause/effect endure. Is it inertia or familiarity that keeps us coming back for more of others company. Well yes, all of that and something deeper. How I’d put it is thusly; What endures is that which is not bound by time or place and is not afraid of all that is contained in time and place.
Now it’s time for that song, that is so tender:
Old friends, old friends sat on their park bench like bookends
A newspaper blowin’ through the grass
Falls on the round toes of the high shoes of the old friendsOld friends, winter companions, the old men
Lost in their overcoats, waiting for the sun
The sounds of the city sifting through trees
Settles like dust on the shoulders of the old friendsCan you imagine us years from today, sharing a park bench quietly
How terribly strange to be seventyOld friends, memory brushes the same years, silently sharing the same fears
Simon and Garfunkel
It is late. My ‘day job’ is taking up a whole lot of my time and energy. And still I love to write here, when I can. And to speak on the phone as I have this evening and yesterday and the day before that. To walk with my walking companion(s) here on the road below Throssel. And to launch myself off across the Atlantic to visit old friends. I’ll post my schedule when I know what it is. Berkeley Buddhist Priory first, then Shasta Abbey.
What endures is a love
which asks for nothing.
Thank you Rev. Mugo, and safe travels. I’m keeping a bench warm . . . .
It doesn’t seem strange to me now as I am not that far off. I checked & both Paul Simon & Art Garfunkel turn 70 later this year.
Good luck on your trips – hope the flights are good.
There’s a couple of old friends on this one. The fiddler on this tune is a man I’ve known for almost 45 years (I’m on the banjo). We hadn’t seen each other for about 20 years and then one day hooked up over the internet. http://bit.ly/jIKvn0
Cheers,
Ian
(Edit: errm…..I cut the second link because this is a family show – know what I mean. Mugo)
:)
I’ve just come across your blog through the OBC facebook group. I’m a lay trainee, and am glad to see you have such good taste in music :-) Simon and Garfunkel have the ability to make me cry, in a kind of good way!
I’ll keep reading the blog.
Best wishes,
Katy
Hi Katy glad you found your way here. I especially like listening to Simon and Garfunkel In The Park. They did a concert, you would know this, in Central Park New York and it has so much atmosphere. Times I’ve been close to tearing up, in a good way, too. But it is years since I listened to that.
Nice work.
How interesting that they would be turning 70 this year. We have grown up with their music haven’t we. Remember Hello Old Friend from the Graduate?
My Bags are packed I’m ready to go, leavin’ on a…..dah de dah de dah….all the old songs are coming back to me this evening. See you soon Reverend.