Mon. Oct 16: Conversations 1 with Gub

CONVERSATIONS WITH GUB, #1
Having one of those rough “inner weather” days, I finally gave myself the nudge and did what I’d advise anyone else: I got out into the beautiful world and I sat down with some paper and did the work of Byron Katie. As always, when I do the work, it works, and I ended up in a mood good enough to do something I’d been putting off for awhile, having a conversation with Gub:

Me: Gub, Gub, Gub, what should I do?

Gub: Less.

Me: But I’m just sitting on a bench in a park, looking at clouds, writing this and that.

Gub: What this and that?

Me: The Work of Byron Katie.

Gub: Ah, that’s good stuff. Keep doing that.

Me: So what should I do less of?

Gub: what’s the main trouble inside?

Me: Agitation. Worry.

Gub: Yeah, yeah. Do less agitation. Do less worry.

Me: Easy for you to say.

Gub: Sure. I don’t even exist.

Me: See. You got it easy.

Gub: The part of you that is all worked up doesn’t exist, either. The Chris Elms story. Hah! That one is a good laugh, from Gub’s point of view.

Me: What kind of name is Gub, anyway?

Gub: Silly. Soft. Not so smart and hard and deadly pure like God.

Me: Lots of people believe in God.

Gub: Sure, sure. Lots of people believe in automobiles and beer, too. But, I ask: do they love God as much as automobiles and beer?

Me; They’d probably say they do.

Gub: But do they love God enough to be nice to other people? Ha! Show me that, and they can believe in God all they want.

Me: Do you believe in God?

Gub: Listen. Does the cloud believe in air? Does air believe in wind? Some of these questions are too silly to answer.

Me: So, other than less, what should I do?

Gub: More.

Me: More?

Gub: More or less.

Me: More or less more?

Gub: More smile, less worry. More now, less then.

Me: Now is pretty nice.

Gub: Tell me.

Me: Beautiful clouds.

Gub: Beautiful clouds.

Me: And nice sun.

Gub: And nice sun.

Pause to look at clouds and sky, and listen to the soft rustling of the leaves.

Me: Can I ask you something more?

Gub: Nah. I’m going to take a nap.

Me: But you are Gub.

Gub. Gub takes a nap. God might not, though an argument could be made about a lot of napping going on in that corner, but not officially anyway. That’s one difference: Gub officially takes naps.

Me: Should I believe in you?

Gub: Nah. And don’t love me either. Love yourself and if you’ve got any left over, spread it around.

Copyright Chris Elms 2006