Tangy Tales of Touche

Abstract Here are bits and pieces of a conversation between two the roommates: Touché, the young parrot; and Kast, the old man. Touché “Kast, are you happy?” Kast. “In my life. I have been at all eight posterns to happiness – the four false-hearted gateways and the four spiritually-edifying portals. Each calls us to their corner of the world as the ‘tried and true portico.’ Four lead us astray. Four reward us each day. “A person’s framing, begins with thoughts, the beacons that beckon entry. All eight gateways whisper ‘Come hither. I am the one. Do not hesitate, I will make you happy.’ Without really knowing which ones are real and which one ones are counterfeit, humans often approach the ‘happiness gates’ equally and openly. Journeying through four leads to fulfillment: acceptance, compassion, connection and release. The remaining four bring despair to the mind, sadness to the heart and melancholy to one’s spirit: control, desire, ego and illusion. One of life’s potentially most fortifying tests is accurately determining which are the chameleons? … the sooner, the better.” Touché. “Kast, we have discussed many concepts and a number of your experiences. How do you summarize: How Can I Be Happy?” Kast. “There is no alternative to ‘living’ in the moment. There is nothing healthier than acceptance. There is nothing more healing than love openly given and freely received. There is nothing more potent than release. There is nothing more energizing than optimism. There is nothing more valuable than forgiveness. There is nothing more refreshing than being comfortable with You. If these can be achieved all in a single moment, any moment, you are happiness.”

Author Biography

Russ Martin is a retired businessman, educator, researcher and health care worker. His professional career includes America’s finest: Hewlett Packard, Ameritech, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and Cornell University. He resides in Siem Reap, walking distance to the World Heritage site and wonder of the world, the Angkor Wat complex, and runs a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization, the Community for Khmer Villages, refer www.ckv-siemreap.org, which he founded in 2014 and where he is a full-time volunteer. His is a strong advocate of living in the moment – fashioning his life after the secrets to his existence that are tucked away in every trice space – the smallest moment one can possibly squeeze into. It is his belief that to be happy, there are I am discoveries awaiting each of us. We’re all here to be inspired and ingenious and connected. In the long-haul, his mantra is to: be healthy; be helpful; be happy – just ‘be.’ Creativity, of course, necessitates change, while learning to master the skills of ‘I am balance’ and ‘I am harmony.’