Several years ago, late in autumn when the trees were mostly bare, and the chill of winter was setting in, a man and woman met. They went out for coffee, enjoyed their time together, and agreed to meet again in about a week.
On that date, they took a walking tour of a local classical garden. After that somewhat chilly walk, she invited him back to her house to warm up on the sofa by her wood stove.
Not so unusual, you are thinking, people meet in many ways and places and that isn't so extra-ordinary. What happened next is surely where the magic begins.
When the man returned home he wanted to express in some unique way, the warm feelings he had experienced on that sofa. So he wrote her a short poem.
To be quite specific, he wrote her a Haiku - a poem of 17 syllables arranged in three lines. The first line composed of 5 syllables, the second line composed of 7 syllables, and the final line with 5 syllables again.
Now, there is a log tradition of Haiku, stretching back to Japan at the beginning of the thirteenth century. These short, condensed poems are most often about nature, the seasons and a Zen-like spirituality as it applies to life and the world.
This poem was a bit different in that he tried to capture the essence and mystery of that pleasant afternoon on the sofa. Here is what he wrote and sent to her.:
gray November day
your black cat whispers secrets
in my happy ear
To his surprise, here is what she wrote back to him:
flannel comforter
human comforted, morning
held your warmth in both
I don't know if you can imagine what a thrill it was for him to get such a wonderful Haiku in return. He had often written poems for people and had received a few, as well. But this was different - a direct response in the same language, so beautifully wrtten, with such a romantic sentiment, was totally unexpected.
It is as if you have spent many years as a stranger in a foreign country, hearing only the local language day after day, and one day someone responds to you in your native tongue. And that person is saying something beautiful to you, saying it in a way that tells you you are not alone, and won't have to be alone again.
His response was:
to speak and be heard,
to hear clear words from your heart -
is to be held, well
To which she replied:
storm out, refuge in
for easy, sagacious use:
your free season pass
And so began a year-long conversation between two lovers, written in Haiku, that chronicles the development of their love and the explorations of their spirits.
Now you can participate in this evolving romance - by subscribing to the Tao-of-Loving, you will witness and become part of the story as it unfolds.
Each week, you (and someone special if you so desire) will receive an email that contains the next part of the conversation.
You will be able to experience the recurring surprise and delight of two people who are on the same spiritual wavelength, who speak the same language, and who share a sense of wonder and passion for life and each other.
Can you picture waiting each week for the next installment of this romantic conversation - like them, not knowing from one week to the next what delightful poem will show up in your email?
You will have the advantage over them. They did not know how long the relationship would last. I can tell you right now that there will be a full 52 weeks of the most beautiful, sensuous and soulful Haiku you have ever read.
And, at the end of the 52 weeks, I will send you an eBook containing the whole year's compilation of poems. So, you can have them all, in addition to the full year's enjoyment leading up to getting the book.
In order to read the first few weeks of the book at no cost to you, fill out and submit the form above. I will immediately send you an email asking you to confirm your request. Ths is to stop spam. I hate it as much as you do!
After you confirm the subscription request,I will send you the first chapters of this unique and wonderful book. Later, if you decide to continue the experience as the relationship develops, you can subscribe and ensure yourself of getting the entire series.
as always,
thank you so much for your support and interest,
Phil
P. S. The man is, of course, me. The woman is someone who has asked to remain anonymous - and I honor that.
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