Moment of Zen in Japan

The painting I had seen was that of a outdoor party during a beautiful french summer day, during the early 18th century. It was one of those cold days one spends in book shops, while nursing a cup of coffee for two hours. It was a tidbit one stores away for later use, like a cow chewing the cud. In this painting were depicted men and women, all of whom were well-dressed in the way only the elite could. No one looked at each other. They all seemed to be in conversation, but lost in private thoughts. It was the 18th century equivalent of the statement "Lost in a crowd".

5 years later, I was in Japan for 3 weeks on official business. I took the trains back and forth to work from my hotel, to a small city outside Tokyo. One late night, as I was coming back from work, I looked out the window to see another train pause by my train for those precise 30 seconds that trains stop in Japan. Like a bizarre modern adaptation of that painting, the image jumped out at me. There were people standing, looking out blankly into space, or reading a book or sitting while lost in thoughts. Bills to pay, health problems, or that perfume in the store they just saw. The image hung in front of me as I took it all in. Then as the chance moment passed, the image disappearing in a blur of light and sound.


Civilizations change, the lone spirit still lingers in those private moments. That was my moment in Zen.