Father, Son, Grandson

___________ There are several permutations of the story. A Zen-priest is asked to provide a blessing, and he obliges, “Father dies, son dies, grandson dies.” The beneficiary is confused and angry, “What kind of blessing is THAT?!” And the wisdom is revealed: “Would you rather it happened another way?” With the received wisdom of theContinue reading “Father, Son, Grandson”

KATSUJINKEN: The Life Giving Sword

Alan King had a comedy routine in the 1980s based entirely on obituaries – all culminating with the punchline “survived by his wife.” So I was amused to find this obituary: But amusement was soon replaced by other emotions. Outrage at the atrocities of the Bataan Death March (a chronicle of the rescue mission to free theContinue reading “KATSUJINKEN: The Life Giving Sword”