Introduction
Most of us move through the day as though we’re already late. Our thoughts hurry toward the next task, drift back to an old hurt, or wander into worries about things that haven’t happened. So much of our attention is spent elsewhere that we can miss the life unfolding right in front of us.
I wrote these stories for moments when it helps to slow down. They unfold in and around a quiet monastery in a timeless Japan, where monks and teachers, farmers and travellers face troubles much like our own: anger that won’t settle, a loss that cannot be undone, and changes we never asked for.
Each story is short enough to enjoy with a cup of tea. Some offer a different way to see a familiar difficulty. Others may remind you of something you knew once but have forgotten in the rush of daily life. Gathered around ten themes, from mindfulness and patience to letting go and gratitude, they can be read in order or opened wherever your curiosity leads.
You don’t need to know anything about Zen. You only need a few quiet minutes and a willingness to look at your own life a little more gently.
Welcome.