Issue nº 19

Fragments of a non-existent diary III |  Story - Tales of Zen wisdom
Reflections of the Warrior of the Light

Flight from Belgrade to Barcelona

     In the newspaper, a text I cut out and place on my briefcase. The author is W. Timothy Gallway:
     "When we plant a rose seed in the earth, we notice it is small, but we do not criticize it as "rootless and stemless." We treat it as a seed, giving it the water and nourishment required of a seed.
     "When it first shoots up out of the earth, we don't condemn it as immature and underdeveloped, nor do we criticize the buds for not being open when they appear. We stand in wonder at the process taking place, and give the plant the care it needs at each stage of its development.
     "The rose is a rose from the time it is a seed to the time it dies. Within it, at all times, it contains its whole potential. It seems to be constantly in the process of change: Yet at each state, at each moment, it is perfectly all right as it is.
     "A flower is not better when it blooms than when it is merely a bud; at each stage it is the same thing -- a flower in the process of expressing its potential."

Brissac, France

     During my stay at a castle rented by a Brazilian magazine, a local journalist came to interview me. During the conversation, which was being watched by other people, he wanted to know:
     - What is the best question a reporter has ever asked you?
     The best question? I thought I'd been asked just about EVERY question, except for the one he just put. I asked for a moment to reflect, to study the many things I wanted to say but was never asked. But in the end I had to confess:
     - I think it was yours. I've had questions I've refused to answer, others which allowed me to talk about interesting subjects, but yours was the only one I cannot possibly answer sincerely.
     The journalist made a note, then said:
     - I'll tell you an interesting story. Once, I went to interview Jean Cocteau. His house was piled high with bibelots, paintings, drawings by famous artists, books, Cocteau kept everything, and felt a deep love for all those things. So anyway, during the interview, I decided to ask him: "if the house caught fire right now, and you could only take one thing with you, what would you choose?"
     - And what did Cocteau say? - asked Alvaro Teixeira, who was in charge of the castle, and a great follower of the life of the French artist.
     - Cocteau said: "I'd take the fire".
     And we sat there in silence, applauding deep down in the most intimate corners of our hearts, the brilliant reply.