Stupid Crawly Bugs

So for the last eight years or so, I’ve been slowly trying to integrate Buddhist principles into my life.  It’s a challenge.  I am not wired like most Buddhists.  For example, I’m very excitable – in both good ways and bad, I have a tendency to be catty – I’m not proud of it but there it is, and I have a quick temper.  These are not characteristics that are normally associated with Buddhist teachings, but tranquility and wisdom are things I aspire to.  As I said, I’m practicing and I find myself stopping and making conscious decisions  based on the dharma teachings more often than I used to.  That’s a huge step for me – seriously.  Any of you that know my family, and especially my father who I take after so much, know that this doesn’t come naturally for me.

So why the introspection today? 

This is Soccer Practice Thursday.  After work I meet My Honey and the kids at the park and I sit on the grass and cheer on my little dude for an hour.  The problem is that spring has sprung and all the pesky little bugs are out.  They are also biting me.  I’m not necessarily talking about the flying ones like bees and mosquitoes.  For what ever reason bees, wasps, etc. do not really alarm me and mosquitoes don’t find me tasty.  It’s the crawly ones that do me in.  Ants and other creepy icky things that crawl into my pant leg and up my arms.  I was riddled with ant bites ten minutes into practice and as I was smooshing the third or forth one I found on my arm, I realized what I’d done.  CRAP!

It sounds stupid, but now I’ve trod right over a priciple Buddhist Dharma. 

I need all the good karma I can get.  I will endeavor to do better and that’s all you can really do in Buddhism. 

Sometimes I think it would just be easier to believe in the whole Hail Mary nonsense and just repent.