I’ve found out that Michael, the author of the blog One Foot in Front of the Other has died Jan 15th after a long struggle with cancer. He is an inspiring photographer, poet and human being. Michael, you have opened my eyes to the intimacy of life and death. Thank you.

I’ll reprint his last poem. It his hugely moving to me. I’m swallowed up. Can I feel the life spark? Can I feel the life spark? I’m afraid that I might not.

Zumwalt Prairie

This photo was taken at the Zumwalt Prairie in Wallow County, Northeast Oregon. We were shown this wonderful place by our good friends Bill and Dianne French. Their interest in native prairies is infectious.

During zazen this morning, I saw my arrogance. I’m learning about myself and that is exciting. Sometimes we see things in ourselves that we are surprised by. I don’t know why I’m surprised by my arrogance. Maybe even that is a little arrogant. Funny how I now see it everywhere. How arrogant of me to deny my arrogance! A vicious cycle from which there seems no escape but there is and it is so easy. What do I mean by arrogance.

an attitude of superiority manifested in an overbearing manner or in presumptuous claims or assumptions
Merriam-Webster Online.

I can act this way. I can feel superior although I usually call it confident but there is a subtle difference. Confidence doesn’t have to mean “I’m right” or “I’m better”. It can be more restful. It can be more like the wind. The wind is not superior or inferior to anything else. It is confident in its windness without any sense of right or wrong.

Overbearing is a qualifier here and provides a bit of an out. Does the superiority have to be overbearing to be considered arrogance? Maybe in the classical sense but in my world I don’t fell like I can use any excuse for my arrogance. Overbearing or not arrogance is just arrogance.

I find it interesting that in the definition above there is the antidote to arrogance. Presumptuous assumptions are at or near the root of our arrogance. Presumptuous assumption means that we take mental constructs that are based on other mental constructs and say that that is reality.

Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford Commencement Address

Here is the audio of the inspiring commencement address given by Steve Jobs. In it he reminds us that death is always with us. Great stuff. Here is a text article on the speech.