there was a kid i knew way back at summer camp who'd go around asking if you wanted to see an elephant. and if you wanted to see, or even if you didn't, he'd untuck his pockets to represent the ears, stick two fingers through his unzipped fly to represent the trunk, wave them around and trumpet like a wild elephant. it was so stupid. still, to be perfectly honest, i thought it was the funniest thing i'd ever seen in my young life, and showed several friends myself.
recently, like sixty-five years later, i just happened to come across a youtube clip in which a grown-ass man was doing the same gag, minus the ears. and i laughed. i laughed 'til i cried, watched it several times and shared with a few friends. i missed the ears, of course, which i believe are fundamental for the full effect, but i laughed so hard. and that made me wonder: have i grown up or matured much since those camp days? i mean, i was howling like an idiot young me. i really began to wonder. so i mentioned my concern to an old buddy who assured me that i have not grown up at all. he seemed quite definite.
legally around here, we're considered all grown by the age of eighteen. in many cases, as far as i can see, that's a stretch. at the same time, we all know kids who seem older than their years, ancient souls, so to speak. tibetan buddhists even go looking for them. and while we're supposed to respect our elders, they often act like kids. i know a guy over eighty who likes taking his dentures out at the most inappropriate times.
be that as it may, there seems to be an essential part of each of us that never changes even as we grow and have so many life experiences. there seems to be some essential, timeless, ageless part simply watching, observing, uninvolved, unaffected. tuning into that unchanging, pure, free and eternal reality is at the core of any true meditation practice. tat twam assi, that thou art.
but i don't honestly know about eternity. and frankly, in spite of all our talk of enlightenment, i rather doubt anybody has ever really known. i do know, however, that there's that unchanging, unborn, undying essence that was, is and will continue to be. and i know that if you're gonna do that elephant bit, you really gotta do the ears. it's just not the same without the ears.