SUCCESS
Saw a humongous, glittering Cheerleading Trophy at my friend Roz's house. Now despite being thin and blonde, nobody less like a cheerleader than Roz can be imagined. So my head buzzed with questions ("Could she have changed so completely drastically over the years?") which Roz sensed all the way from the other room where she was fixing our coffee. She called out "How do you like my new Cheerleading Trophy? My son just picked it out of the trash for me!" Whew, I'm not going crazy after all.

But isn't it an ironic commentary on the whole notion of success? I am sure that this trophy was earned with a lot of blood, sweat and tears, and was the cause of massive heartburning and jealousy on the part of those who failed to win the coveted prize. Yet years later, it ends up in a bin on the sidewalk waiting for the trash truck.

There is a Zen saying: "The glass is already broken." Here is another take: "The cheerleading trophy is already in the trash." (OK, it is on Roz's mantelpiece, but you know what I mean!)