brooding over muck

"Rake the muck this way.  Rake the muck that way.

It will still be muck.  In the time you are brooding,

you could be on your way, stringing pearls

for the delight of heaven."

(Hasidic teaching)

 

Art: The Brooding Woman - Paul Gauguin (1848-1903)

 

brooding: preoccupied with depressing,

morbid, or painful memories or thoughts. 

 muck: soft, moist, farmward manure. 

or defamatory remarks.  (aren't those the same?)

 

 found myself brooding over my muck today.

the idea of raking it in one direction

and then another shows how absurd & pointless

 it is to try to move it around.  

put down the rake. pick up the pearls.

especially that one pearl of great price.