Crow

I was awoken by the Crow at my bedroom window.

I said, “Yes, Crow, what is it?”

The Crow said, “Get out of bed, there is much to do.”

I said, “Do you mean the showering, the brushing of teeth, and the eating of breakfast?”

The Crow said, “I’m talking about beyond the preliminaries.”

I was excited at the prospects and got out of bed and completed the three. Then I sat and waited. I figured the big things to accomplish would be arriving any minute.

I waited. And waited. By three I was hungry and made a bean sandwich for lunch. Then I took a nap. When I awoke at six I got up and checked my voice and emails and found nothing. I felt foolish for trusting the words of a bird.

Just then the Crow flew in through my living room window and landed next to me.

I said, “Crow, there was nothing for me to do.”

The Crow said, “You underestimate the value of value of nothing.”

I said, “I spent a lot of years going to meditation seminars, reading ancient spiritual texts, and having lots of contemplative austerity time. I think I’m pretty astute at nothing.”

The Crow said, “I know, that’s the problem.”