The Brown Book Commentaries

Image 172 (Page 72a – main bottom) … This picture shows Sean Adams playing
Ultimate for ―Naked Pretzel‖. Sean was the guy who taught the guy who taught
me to throw a forehand – the guy ultimately responsible for me getting to know
the great game of Ultimate – the real game of Ultimate, mind you; not the
modern, often-aggressive, ultra-competitive, testosterone-laden competitions it
has often become, but rather the Joy-filled, Respect-ladled, Give-it-everythingyou‘ve-got-on-every-play-and-then-smile-at-your-opponent-no-matter-what-andplay-on
game that Ultimate sometimes still remains … Fittingly, Sean passed
away in the Spring of 1994 while playing Ultimate – struck by lightning while
wearing a shirt that said ―Life is short – Play Ultimate‖ …
―Sometimes Life sends us on detours …
(And yet those detours] can have the most Beauty-full scenery …
… so enJoy them!‖ ~ Emily Simon
For those who are steeped in The Way – a Way of Living that knows only the current moment
and the opportunities to Love that only the current moment can provide – there is no such thing as
a destination, and thus there is no such thing as a detour. For those who have chosen to live this
Way, it matters not where we were heading this morning, nor does it matter where we end up at
day‘s end. All that matters is that we are awake to each moment of our lives – and that we attempt
to bring Love fully & truly thereto. Yes, even those living The Way have appointments – and yet
they will pause along the way thereto touch the Heart of a homeless man with a smile and a word
of Kindness … And yes, even those living The Way make plans – and yet they will fully abandon
the same if they come across an unexpected other in need. This is why those living The Way are
so reluctant to form commitments or make promises – not because they cannot honor them or keep
them, but rather because
commitments innately limit the
scope of their Love, just as
promises by their nature always
restrict the magnitude thereof.
―Perform every act of your Life as if it were your last.‖ ~ Marcus Aurelius
Yes, perform every act of your life as if it were your last – and be especially sure to extend this
same wisdom to every interaction as well – greeting every Soulmate (and immersing in Who they
Are) as though you are meeting them for the very first time; and bidding adieu from every friend
as though you will be dead at midnight … Greeting every stranger as though he or she is a longlost
Friend, and saying farewell to every lover as though you will never see them again.
―We search for Happiness like a man looking for the glasses on the end of his nose.‖ ~ Sandra Reum
The only times we fail at finding real Happiness are the times when we seek the same for
ourselves … Real Happiness is an experience of selflessness; it cannot be known while gathering
or garnishing for one‘s self – but rather can only be fully felt (and thereby can only be truly
known) while giving for -- or sharing with -- others.
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