冬 For 8 minutes one tough winter day

There are now signs of spring coming soon, so I thought just before winter will be totally gone, I´d like to pose some more winter pictures from the country sides here by the westcoast and other parts of Sweden.

Swedish winter can be tough which somehow reminds me of deeper strength, mostly featured in those films about survival like The Vertical Limit and one very old film I saw on TV The Passage, while at the same time meditative and calming to the senses, specially at times like now when I´ve just lost all my zen patience at a gas station, when someone has been blowing his car´s horn to me for no reason, which rarely happen by the way, as people in Sweden are usually well behaved otherwise.

This was what happened: In Sweden all gas stations are self service, and as rule you don´t move your car after you have filled it with gasoline but pay at the cashier first and then drive. When I came back from the cashier, and just about to go inside my car, this person parked after my car blow his horn. I made a sign that I`m driving away. He blow his horn one more time.

In Sweden you don´t blow your horn unless you need something, so I went out and ask the person what does he want?

Man: You have to move so I can fill up my tank.

Celina: You´re swedish and you should know that I had to pay first before I can move my car, and besides there´s another gasoline tank just behind your car.

And I started to move away to my car, when guess what, he blow his horn again!! And if there is any button anyone can push to make me see red flags, I don´t know why but it´s when somebody blows a car´s horn for no reason. It really provokes me that even on a busy highway, I´d stop my car, go out and ask the driver what does he want.

Anyway, after he blew his horn for no reason, I went back and confronted him:

Celina: And what was that blowing for again?

Man: ( grinning as if enjoying the situation)

Celina: That was four horn blowing for nothing. You know what? That has just earned you 8 minutes to wait. Two minutes for each horn blowing.

Man: 8 minutes?

Celina: Yes! Because if there is anyone between the two of us who has time for this, believe me it is me. I´m a zen buddhist and we live for the moment, and not for the appointment that I have later. And if you don´t stop, I swear to his great holiness the buddha, you´ll drive away from here with punctured tires and no horn.

And I reached for my cellphone and called an errand that I´ll be late for 8 minutes, and for 8 minute I utilized it in buying some chewing gum to chew my irritation away, and cleaning my rear mirror. After exactly 8 minutes, and this man didn´t blow his horn again, I said: "Thanks for the good behaviour, you see you actually have patience and manner when you want to. Keep it up and you´ll reach far", and I carefully drove away.

Anyway now, I´m drinking some puér tea and enjoying these pictures. I hope you do too!

for Chadao ...

黄琼丝

Photo: En Kopp Zen Teahouse