The Parable of the Poisoned Arrow
(A Pooh-ddhist lesson on what really matters)
One morning in Hundred Acre Wood, Piglet is struck by a Tiny Startling Object
Instead of letting Kanga help – because she is splendid at helping – Piglet insists on knowing what shape the Object was, who may have tossed it, whether the wind was involved and so on
If Piglet waits for all the answers, the Object will go on startling Piglet in that very startly way Tiny Things sometimes do
Irrelevant things matter little when we have the means to alleviate the suffering in front of us
Nothing is more important than working to fix whatever’s causing the pain or dissatisfaction in our day-to-day lives
Not to say we should force solutions at all costs or settle for short-term fixes that don’t last
Rather, energy must be focused on addressing the real source of suffering, while steps that lead to healing are taken
