This guy's walking down the street when he falls in a hole.

The walls are so steep
he can’t get out.

A doctor passes by. The guy shouts up, “Can you help me out?” The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down, and moves on.

Then a priest walks by. “Father, I’m in this hole, can you help me out?” The priest writes a prayer, throws it down, and moves on.

Then a friend walks by. “Hey Joe, I’m stuck—can you help me out?”

The friend jumps in.

The guy says, “Are you crazy? Now we’re both down here.”


The friend replies,
“Yeah. But I’ve been here before, and I know the way out.”
- The West Wing

A Tendency to Shine

By Adyashanti From My Secret is Silence

“If you prefer smoke over fire then get up now and leave.

For I do not intend to perfume your mind’s clothing with more sooty knowledge.

No, I have something else in mind.

Today I hold a flame in left hand and a sword in my right.

There will be no damage control today.

God is in a mood to plunder your riches and fling you nakedly into such breathtaking poverty

that all that will be left of you will be a tendency to shine.

So don’t just sit around this flame choking on your mind.

This is no campfire song to mindlessly mantra yourself to sleep with.

Jump now into the space between thoughts and exit this dream

before I burn the damn place down.”