Sometimes when I would complain unreasonably, my father would say, “You’re lucky to be alive.” I thought the old man was just rehashing his aphorisms. Now after studying a bit of biology, I see his point. You are indeed lucky to be alive. Moreover, you’re incredibly fortunate to find yourself in a made-to-order dojo with a splendid teacher. Now the ball is in your court.
– Robert Aitken, Miniatures of a Zen Master
