A Letter about Obama the Bodhi

Bob,

I am excited too.

I have a two theories about certain people.

Many folks are like apples. They look like apples and taste like apples all the way through.
Fewer folks are like onions. As you peal off one layer there is another and then another. With
each layer, you learn more.

Obama is an onion. As I have delved into him,..the more I look the more i learn. He is a "good onion" too. That is
the layers underneath add to his complexity and interest. I wold love to be his student.

My second theory is harder.

The Buddha taught that he was an ordinary man who had, through his gifts and efforts come to understand
things that were valuable for others to learn. I believe that there are many such people,"bhoddisatva",people that I can learn from.
In my life so far this has included my grandmother, MLK, Cesar Cahvez, hal Weintruab and some friends you would not know.

Is BHO a bhoddisatva? I do not know but my rules are that once I think someone may be "that way" I try to listen and understand.
The more convinced I become, the more willing I am to listen in the hope of learning. When I become very convinced, as with my Grandmother, my wife, Gandhi, John XXIII, Jimmy Carter I decide to no longer judge these people ... to just do my best to learn form them.

For now, until something better shows up, I am finding that when BHO says soething, even something I think is wrong I listen. I find myself often rewarded for this by better understanding so maybe he is a Bhodi???

I realize this is awfully romantic, but in my personal life, entrely aside form famous people, I have met a large numbe rof folks who are .. at least relative to me, bodhis. So if, out of the say 200 people I know, there a dozen or so Bi=odhis, why shouldn't some such perosn ccasionaly run for President?

I a, in this regard, amazed at the high ethical standard he has beena ble to keep in the campaign. His wifr, friendhip with the Rabbi across the street, etc. etc. all provide new laters of an onion that look good.

Of course, I am all to aware that being a bodhi does not mean one will succeed at being President. Jimmy Carter and John XXII were, perhaps, both too good to be true. So, the cynic inside remains alive and well.

On a different topic, I apoloigize for not gettiong back to you. I have been truly overhelmed.

Are you around this weekend?

On Wed, Feb 20, 2008 at 4:21 PM, R----------- wrote:

Steve,

I've been listening to Barack's speeches a lot lately and think of you each time, telling me at dinner how it was like taking a drug. Its really exciting to see him win, but I don't know others around me (yet) who share the pleasure I get in hearing him speak, so I felt like dropping you a line. It's just so odd to have a politician like this. I never expected to see anyone like this in my lifetime. I can't sleep on primary nights. I feel like I'm starting to live from speech to speech.

Hope you are well. Best regards,

Bob

--
Stephen M. Schwartz
Pathology