Back Burner Books

 

I have two second-draft books on the stove—one still simmering on the back burner and the other moved to the front where I am stirring it, tasting it, adding spices here and there. That one is titled: The Kindness of Strangers: Travels in a Different Time and chronicles a life-changing trip my soon-to-be wife and I took around the world in 1978-79. 

 

The second one is titled: Zen, Jazz and Orff: A Life in Three Worlds and is both part autobiography and more importantly, a look at where three distinct practices overlap. It seems like a surefire best-seller—NOT!!! The number of Zen practitioners and Orff teachers are small and Jazz musicians/ fans a bit larger, but still miniscule by Taylor Swift standards. (In fact, some years back, Jazz was at the bottom of the public listening totem pole with some 2% interested!) And the number of Zen students interested in reading about Jazz, Jazz musicians interested in reading about Zen, Zen and Jazz people interested in reading about Orff and so on narrows the field yet more. Why bother?

 

Well, I have given a copy of the book to a Zen student, a jazz musician, an Orff teacher and two people who miraculously, like me, have some connection with all three worlds and they all are encouraging me to pursue publication. As I wrote in an abstract when I submitted it to a publisher who unsurprisingly (but disappointedly) rejected it:

 

This book takes a look at the common principles these three practices share that could refresh the world, offering both individual transformation and contributing to collective healing. Not intended to convert anyone to any of these practices, the hope is to consider their common values, how they stand in opposition to many of the toxic ideas that currently permeate our culture and how they can help forge the future we need and deserve.

 

So while the publisher made it clear—“not interested”—I was delighted to get this comment from the Orff teacher who I shared it with, a colleague from Korea (who, interesting enough, is Catholic, not Buddhist):

 

Your book connects so strongly with my own thinking. The older I become, the less interested I am in impressive systems or grand claims, and the more I believe in what happens when one person genuinely learns, creates, cares, and acts—and then carries that into relationship with others.

 

And I keep thinking about another idea running through the book: that suffering, freedom, discipline, purpose, experience, tradition, humor, community, service (all chapter titles in the book) and the long road itself are not steps in a formula that guarantees an outcome. We practice, learn, and keep walking, but at some point we also have to let go of the plan and remain open to what we cannot control.

 

It feels so good to be understood. That indeed is a sub-theme that runs through both the book and my own life, nourished and sustained by these three practices. Not ready to open up for pre-orders yet and have to finish the travel book before turning back to this. But hey, if you’re deeply interested, contact me and I’ll send you a PDF.