“Tonga, it’s that time of year again when everyone goes a little mad, running around trying to get their homes in order, decorate them, invite people over for festivities, frantically look for the perfect gifts for their family and friends.  I just want to opt out of all of this craziness this year.  Humbug to Mid-winter festival.”

“I know it can get a bit much, Bizah,” Tonga replied. But what would winter be without it?

Bizah fell into silence.

One afternoon, Bizah started thinking again about giving to others.

“Why is it so hard to give of our time to others?  We can’t run out of it.  There’s always a now moment to give our attention to, so always a now moment in which we can give our attention to others.  If this is so – and it is – why aren’t we more present with others in our life?”

As Bizah continued in this inquiry, he concluded that the reason we are so greedy of our own time is that we are rarely in the only real time there is: the present moment. 

As expected, the next morning the Master brought up the questions he left his students with at the end of lessons the previous day: “How can receiving at the same time be giving?  And how can giving at the same time be receiving?”

Then the Master said, “I left you with two questions yesterday.  Does anyone want to present their response at this time?”

There was a long silent pause. 

Bizah could not stop thinking about how unfair he was to Akina by making assumptions about him.  He felt terrible.

“How could I have misjudged Akina as arrogant and aloof, when in truth he’s gentle and humble,” he thought.  “How could I have been so wrong?  What can I do to make it up to him?”

The next day after lessons, he asked Akina if he would like to go fishing with him.  Akina broke into a big smile and exclaimed, “Oh, I’d love to!”