When a child is leaning to walk, there is a trepidation in the parent watching them. Their little knees shake, their arms flail. When B was learning to walk, all I could think of was his undeveloped soft spot and permanent brain damage. Watching him fail after a few first steps was terrifying, but I knew I shouldn't impede on his growth. Soon he was taking many steps to turn it into walking. Then far to quickly, his walking turned into running. Then he learned the stairs. Then skipping. Riding a bike. Hopping. Kicking a football. His legs were no longer fragile and wobbly, they were strong and muscular.
This goes with anything we are beginning. A company, learning a new sport/recreation, dating, changing bad behaviours, learning to accept ourselves, and any number of things.
When you start, your legs will shake, you'll fall and fail, a lot, you'll learn new ways of trying to make it happen, and you'll take something that wasn't and make it into something that is
"In the beginner's mind there is no thought, "I have attained something."
All self-centered thoughts limit our vast mind. When we have no thought
of achievement, no thought of self, we are true beginners. Then we can
really learn something. The beginner's mind is the mind of compassion.
When our mind is compassionate, it is boundless. Dogen-zenji, the
founder of our school, always emphasized how important it is to resume
our boundless original mind. Then we are always true to ourselves, in
sympathy with all beings, and can actually practice." - Shunryu Suzuki-roshi
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