What have I not saved?

When it comes to saving Excel, PowerPoint or other computer files and documents I’m working on, I’m pretty consistent. I save my files every few minutes. So I don’t know what happened today. ..

I had a two-hour client meeting where I got my team’s input and updated an excel file. When I went back to my laptop after a break, I couldn’t find the file. I tried everything and still couldn’t find it. A co-worker finally suggested I restart my laptop. And voilà, it reappeared again.

During the break, I got a call from a friend telling me that someone he knew was working with a trainer at the gym today. This person was going up and down the stairs, suddenly loses her control, falls and shatters a bone in her hand. My friend was saying that she was lucky not to have fallen on her head.

These two things got me thinking…. what have I not saved before ‘my’ system crashes? And is there a right time for a reboot? Have I saved enough money? Have I done enough charitable work? Have I traveled enough? Have I spent enough time with family and loved ones? I was on a roll! 🙂

I then remembered that some Buddhists say that nothing that I “do” ever matters. They say that there is nothing I can or should “save” but this moment. Because when I’m in the moment, there is no drama and there is no “story”. There is no mind-made story to a “lost file” or a “broken bone”. It just is.

I had read a story a long time ago about two monks who were traveling on foot. They reached a river and saw an old woman waiting to get across. The older monk carried the old woman on her back to the other side of the river. The old woman went her way without thanking him. They continued walking. After half an hour, the younger monk asked the older monk whether he was upset with the old woman for not thanking him. The wise older monk said: “I took her off my shoulder half an hour ago, why are you still carrying her?”

So, yes, I guess I do need to save something. But that “thing” is this moment. Non-judgmental acceptance of this moment. When I save this moment, I save “me”.

And yes, I do need to reboot. Every time my mind tries to build a story about all that is “wrong”, I will do a reboot. I just think of this moment and how this moment is so “right”.

Shawn