The Thief Left it Behind

in the spirit of Thanksgiving

We’ve just returned from a long Thanksgiving weekend visiting with family. As we were making the long drive home, I wondered what I could give you this morning that would better capture the spirit of generosity and abundance than, say, Black Friday does. What came to mind was this haiku by the Japanese Zen monk Ryōkan (1758-1831).

The THIEF left it behind—
    the moon
At the window.   

The story behind the poem is that a thief came to Ryōkan's hut at the base of the mountain, only to discover there was nothing to steal. Returning home, Ryōkan caught him. “You have come a long way to visit me,” he said, “and you should not return empty-handed. Please take my clothes as a gift.” The thief was bewildered. He took the clothes and slunk away. Ryōkan sat naked, watching the moon. "Poor fellow," he mused, "I wish I could have given him this beautiful moon."