Buddha Got Bumped

Buddha's head cracked off the morning we took Michael to the airport.

Claire said, "What does it mean, Mom?"

"I need to get out of my head." I said.

Or maybe it's just that Buddha got bumped 

But I'm thinking it's a message, like all the other messages that have been coming my way lately.

The girl with the bright green shirt that read

LIVE IN THE NOW

The old Volkswagen bus on the highway with the license plate

THE TAO

The sighting of a silver clothesline of spider web, strands floating in the cool morning air with a spiral web suspended between tree and bush, the size of a small dessert plate.

a blissful pause

And this snippet by Mark Nepo, favorite poet/writer, 

We can only consider things for so long. After a while, all the information - all options and opinions - will begin to weigh us down... It is natural to be cautious and thoughtful, especially when faced with important decisions, but often the only way to know what awaits us is to live it.

This circled me back to Buddha's head, sitting on the sidelines, allowing for the body and breath to do the living, rather than living above the neck, 

over-thinking. 

We've been slipping scraps of paper 
with drawings and prayers
and other good things 

inside Buddha's belly.

One of these days we'll put the head back on.

Just not yet/