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March 12, 2002

Tranquility Base

Seven things I am grateful for today:

1. Going to Fry's with my brother, who I haven't seen in over a month, and him helping me pick out a new computer.
   
2. My brother telling me, in his way, that he missed me, and would like to hear from me more often.
   
3. Ferris and Sketch (my cat) sleeping in identical positions on their backs in the middle of my living room.
   
4. The freedom to loudly criticize my government without fear of being "disappeared". Yet.
   
5. A November day, around 1995, when I went with my friend Dave to the beach, and we stood on the end of the pier, watching the huge, storm-driven waves crash against the bottom of the pier, getting our feet wet, and not being afraid.
   
6. Nolan showing me a sign-up sheet for a summer science program that he wants to attend, proudly proclaiming, "I wasn't into science last year, Wil, but this year I totally am!"
   
7. The fact that my wife notices that I curl the tip of my tongue when I laugh really hard. Something I was not even aware of myself.
   

Our Thought for Today is more of a meditation, than a thought, and it comes from the Tao Te Ching:

"Weapons are the tools of violence;
all decent men detest them.

Weapons are the tools of fear;
a decent man will avoid them
except in the direst necessity
and, if compelled, will use them
only with the utmost restraint.
Peace is his highest value.
If the peace has been shattered,
how can he be content?
His enemies are not demons,
but human beings like himself.
He doesn't wish them personal harm.
Nor does he rejoice in victory.
How could he rejoice in victory
and delight in the slaughter of men?

He enters a battle gravely,
with sorrow and great compassion,
as if he were attending a funeral."