There is this really groovy story the Buddha tells somewhere in the Pali canon (the writings of his disciples about his teachings) about a blind turtle. The Buddha was speaking to a group of his monks.

He said, “Monks, suppose that this great earth were totally covered with water and a man were to toss a yoke with a single hole into the water. A wind from the West would push it East; a wind from the East would push it West; a wind from the North would push it South; a wind from the South would push it North. And suppose a blind sea turtle were there. It would come to the surface only once every 100 years. Now what do you suppose the chances would be that a blind turtle, coming once to the surface every 100 years, would stick his neck into the yoke with a single hole?”

And the monks answered, “It would be very unusual, Sir, that a blind turtle coming to the surface once every hundred years would stick his neck into the yoke.”

And the Buddha replied, “And just so, it is very, very rare that one attains the human state.”

To me, that is a most beautiful illustration of how rare the chances are, and how precious it is to be born as a human being.  I imagine that old turtle, slowly rising to the surface, indifferent to the conditions around him, undeterred in his quest for thousands! of years. I imagine the vastness of the ocean, the volatility of the surface, the rarity that one small, floating ring on the surface would be perfectly located for his centennial breath. Yes, that’s rare. Impossible, even. It begs me to ask myself this question: How did I get so lucky? Why did I get so lucky? How am I using this precious and rare human birth? Who do I want to be? Am I making the best use of this incredible opportunity? How can I help others to realize this same truth of their own lives?

Even if you can’t wrap your mind around a parable of a blind turtle and a lone livesaver floating in the ocean, consider that of all the gazillions? of beings on this planet, you are human. Out of the 7+ billion humans on the planet, you are fortunate enough in circumstance to be reading this now. Something in it interests you, perhaps draws you to practice mindfulness, or be curious about this thing called “waking up”. How rare is that? And then if you do practice, diligently, how much rarer, still? And then… those that are actually wise, or those that awaken to their true nature? Pretty few, I’d have to say.

As I get older, life seems to speed up. I look forward to (or dread!) an event, and suddenly, it has passed, as if the thing of a dream. Events come and go exactly like these words from the Diamond Sutra:

“…a star at dawn, a bubble in a stream,
A flash of lightening in a summer cloud,
A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.”

So I ask myself: how can I be present, in each moment, so as to not miss the marvel of a single thing of this precious life? I can think of no other work that is more important than to train the mind to be present, kind, generous and filled with awe and wonder. Awake to what is happening here and now. This fuels my one wise desire to use all of my energy towards fulfilling my highest potential as a human being.

This life is precious, rare, and this moment is wholly unique, and infinite. May we all realize our true nature is to be free. I can begin right here and right now. And so can you. That is the only place there is, anyway.