Your Daily Zen Practice

It is almost as hard for friends to meet As for the morning and evening stars. Tonight then is a rare event, Joining in the candlelight Two men who were young not long ago But now are turning grey at the temples. To find that half our friends are dead Shocks us, burns our hearts with grief. We little guessed it would be twenty years Before we could meet again. When I went away, you were still unmarried, But now these boys and girls in a row Are very kind to their father's old friend. by Du Fu, from 300 Tang Poems.