It is so interesting how one simple question can be so hard to answer.

I first heard that question from my friend Marc about 2 years ago. We were leaving a ballroom dancing class and he and I stood there for half an hour chatting about life. He was very excited that night. He was sharing with me the things he has been learning from Zen meditation, his new-found hobby. He just couldn’t stop telling me about it.

You see, Marc was the kind of guy who was full of energy. He was the kind of guy who was constantly in motion. He loved riding his motorcycle fast down the curvy mountain roads around the area we lived. He loved falling down out of the sky, cutting through the air as he jumped out of an airplane many thousands of feet above ground. He loved sharing memories with friends over a nice home-cooked meal. Among many other things, he also really loved women. He was the kind of guy who loved life. He was a man full of passions… and Zen meditation provided him the calmness and quietness he needed to slow down his fast-paced lifestyle. (more…)