Children and Zen: A Snapshot

"What is the meaning of rank?" If this was asked as a question in koan exchange, it would be hard to beat this picture's response. Perhaps the response has even more value in that the question was not even asked!

Three times per week, my daughter attends Aikido class with me. It's simply what she does. She enjoys the physical activity and she enjoys the company of her friends. Class begins, class progresses, and class ends. Afterward, the day continues.

Why does she do it? Does she care about what anyone else thinks about her practice or how anyone else judges her techniques? Does she believe it's time well-spent? Is her way of living a good experssion of Zen?

To ask any such a question is to have already lost what she has no need to find.

But congratulations to the newly appointed fourth kyu nonetheless!