Welcome back to Camp Raven – my apologies for such an absence, however it’s been an angry night of the soul. With much chanting for the happiness of many folks, I have finally returned to see the humor in life. I’m wasn’t sure whether to start with the frog story or the hurt of gossip. So I flipped a coin, and frog heads came up.
Recently, I realized that general house cleaning was no longer on my itinerary. Pushing the vacuum, scrubbing the tub, and mopping – nevermore says Raven! Which is why I chose to continue working at a job I love – just to afford some of life’s perks. My regular cleaning person found herself a new, full-time cleaning job with great benefits and it was “bye-bye, Raven.” So I hired the cleaning company that takes care of our condo’s clubhouse. Thought I’d give them a try.
Whoops – I forgot to mention the sticky little star of the story. About a week ago, as I went out to check for a package on my porch, an enormous seeming – in reality, little – green tree frog with sticky feet decided to get my heart racing as he landed on my arm. My scream probably frightened him, so he hurled his gummy little self into my living room and disappeared. I’ve had a week of checking toilets, sinks, and washing machines for this friendly little guy. I even left the front door open so he could beat a hasty retreat and, since I didn’t see him again, assumed that he had ribbit-ed his way back into the big world of bugs and trees.
Enough about the frog; I trusted that he was gone. Well, let’s say that he was gone… from sight at least. Did I mention what a great job the cleaning company was doing? It’s a family owned business, mother and daughter, fifteen years working together. I scooted around the condo, trying to avoid mops, vacuum cleaners, and other assorted and sundry cleaning tools, then went diligently back to work at my computer. Yes, it is such a great benefit to work remotely from home – for almost 20 years now. I really do have the best job with the most transformational education company in the world, Pearson. Chanting really works!
Enough about the job – immersed in paperwork, I was startled to hear a loud scream. Hobbling into the kitchen, as running is no longer an option on these arthritic knees or swollen ankles, I saw the Mom cleaner about to have a total meltdown. All she could squeal was “frog.”
And then I knew. He had only hidden himself, as little sticky frogs often do. He had chosen a prime watering hole, crouching behind a small picture on the ledge above my kitchen sink. It was the perfect spot with quick access to water anytime he wanted. As the Mom cleaner reached over and moved the picture to dust the ledge, my little froggy friend hopped out onto the counter. Well, how was I to know that she was terrified of frogs?
Her daughter came running out to the kitchen, and grabbed part of the vacuum cleaner to gently nudge the frog out my door. Froggy stopped to petition us for a spot back near the sink, apparently enjoying his recent taste from indoor plumbing, and looked towards my living room. With a quick shake of my head to say “no” to his pleas, and some more not-so-gentle prodding with cleaning tools, he was out of the house. I must report that he quickly rejoined the circle of life as snake food. Honestly, it was either that or 911 to the frog vet. Having no pet insurance, a quick decision was made not to resuscitate my now dead little friend. I’ll chant for his happiness this evening.
Yes, what a week it’s been. But the frog makes for a better story than writing about the damage that hyperbole and gossip can do. Remember that childhood game of telephone, our first experience with “gossip” or how a phrase whispered from ear to ear came be transformed into something altogether different? It seems that I was recently central to the adult version, the one that’s no longer a game, just gossip blended with hyperbole that can be hurtful.
First of all, I asked a dear friend to put me in her very positive prayers. And surely you’d like to know “Why?” Well, from a grand CEA total of 1,100 (CEA measures the little bits of cancer in your bloodstream) down to 10 or thereabouts, my CEA has now bounced up to 15 (which in the grand scheme of things is a “nothing” blip). Sorry for taking so much time and so many words to provide this update… as you should know by now, tales around Camp Raven’s campfire can be lengthy.
And then the telephone game dropped right into place. I imagine it as a sticky little tree froggy village… ribbet-ing from one froggy to the next froggy friend… carrying bits of insects blended with tasty treats of froggy news. In this case, by the time every little gummy green frog got the message, it had been sprinkled with a touch of hyperbole and, as in the child’s game, no longer resembled much of the truth.
In Soka Gakkai Buddhism, we realize that our problems are our benefits. Our problems give our chanting/daimoku great power and inspire us to challenge and transform our karma in this lifetime. Buddhism encourages us to “hendoku iyaku” any challenging situation. Translated, that means “change poison into medicine” to demonstrate proof that any problem or suffering can eventually be transformed into the greatest happiness and fulfilment in this lifetime. And we can be absolutely happy as a result.
Before I began chanting, more than forty years ago, a froggy friend would ribbet a bit of information along to my ears. I would then feel a great deal of anxiety. First, not knowing if the froggy source could be trusted to have shared truthful information. And secondly, with concern for the person involved and no understanding of how to activate positive intention, or prayer, so their suffering could be transformed.
I have since learned that I could put prayer into the universe to spiritually help a person overcome their suffering – even at a great distance. Time and space are nothing in Buddhism. The power of chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo (NMRK) is unlimited, across all dimensions. And I have the power to compassionately help someone change suffering to happiness. Whatever their struggle, I can support their path to victory.
They say that negative words about someone or something are communicated to 7 other people. What a worthless waste of time and energy!! However, our positive statements, whether they be encouragement for a friend who’s struggling or our compassionate intentions enhanced by our daimoku, only need to be repeated 4 times to overcome the 7 negative words. Since many of us chant hours each day, brimming with positive determination, we are definitely winning in life and supporting our circle of friends.
In this case, which was central to my experience, the sticky froggy gossip had ribbet-ed throughout the village and ended up hurting someone whose heart I treasure – my dear son. And this devilish function of ugly, green gossip had me all tied up in righteous, pissed off gordian knots. It’s taken a lot of chanting and writing to untangle.
And that hurtful bit of gossip went as follows, or the approximation thereof, “Raven’s cancer numbers went up (yeh, a tiny bit); the pill she’s been taking isn’t working anymore (not true); and… Raven could be dying (aren’t we all, really?).
Anyhow, as you might guess, my son was upset to hear, especially from a sticky green frog, that his Mother was now dying. I would imagine he may have felt a great sadness, and possibly a bit heartbroken, at hearing this important detail from a gummy frog.
We resolved this by sharing some very heartfelt moments of compassionate dialogue. Then I chanted beaucoup daimoku for his happiness and for all the other frogs involved. Needless to say, it began with some powerfully angry daimoku for all the frogs. Fortunately, chanting NMRK is even more powerful than anger and, after a couple of weeks of powerfully positive chanting, I have won over the devilish functions. I can once again chant sincerely for everyone’s happiness and tell my story.
As I reflect on the telephone game, thinking about how innocent it seems to children, it’s just laughter and giggles all round. And no adult ever stopped us to share a “consider the source” or “pray for their happiness” message. To that Florida green frog, who felt compelled to share something that it didn’t have all the facts about, it was only carrying on a peculiar southern tradition. It’s not so much gossip as the way that some southerners have shared information, frequently at country club luncheons, church socials, and old age home visits… getting filled in on all the gossipy details so that they can be relayed to the next froggy friend, who can pass them along to the next friend, and so on. Perhaps it’s time to consider if this truly creates any meaningful value for life.
So, it really has been an interesting couple of weeks. And I appreciate the encouragement I’ve received to take 100% responsibility for “sweeping away all the poo on my family runway.” If it’s in my life, I can change it.
Let me say that again – If it’s in my life, I can, and will, change it. I am chanting to be cancer-free so I can live to fulfill my mission for kosen-rufu; chanting to have successful cataract surgeries in July so that I can see to fulfill my mission for world peace; and chanting to restore my family’s happiness and financial fortune, across space and time, so that I can fulfill my mission… and the list goes on.
As my mentor Daisaku Ikeda shares, “Soka Gakkai members are a network of Bodhisattvas of the Earth who have inherited and are carrying on the great shared struggle of mentor and disciple initiated by Nichiren Daishonin – a struggle to realize peace and happiness for all people and transform the destiny of humankind.”
“No matter how seemingly desperate the situation, we can absolutely find a way through it with courageous efforts in faith based on the resolve never to retreat a single step.” (Living Buddhism, May 2019, p. 5)
Hand in hand, with my mentor and my friends, I will wave the banner of victory with a happy smile, right where I am…unfortunately, with one less little frog.
Camp Raven 