KOANS
nice riverbank

One summer afternoon, capybara and tapir went to the river to celebrate their ten years of friendship and to drink plum wine. They sat on the bank enjoying the floral plum wine and watching clear water flowing over mossy rocks. Capybara sighed, "This is almost perfect. If only there were a cool breeze for us to enjoy." As soon as he said it, a gentle breeze came, blowing through his fur. Capybara raised his face to the soothing breeze. "This is very nice. But it would be even better to hear some sweet bird song." Suddenly, a nightingale began to sing. The nightingale sang so beautifully that capybara and tapir held their breath to listen. They enjoyed the wine, the breeze, and the song until the sun slipped away and a full moon hung overhead. Then, capybara looked ruefully into his cup and exclaimed: "We are out of wine. If only we had one last pour to finish this perfect evening!" Suddenly, two brimming cups of wine floated down the river towards capybara and his friend. They enjoyed their final drink and went home content, their hearts filled with the beauty and magic of that night.

Decades later, capybara and tapir went to the river again to celebrate their many years of friendship. They brought the finest and most expensive plum wine, as a nod to their fond memory from many years ago. They sat on the bank watching the clear water. A soothing breeze blew through their fur, carrying away the summer heat. Capybara and tapir lay down in the grass, poured wine, and reminisced as the sun slowly set. All of a sudden, a nightingale began to sing. The song was the same as from many years ago. It was so beautiful that capybara and tapir could not help but freeze and listen. The moon rose as the nightingale performed, and still hung high in the sky when the last stirring notes of the song had faded away. Just as they finished the last of their wine, two more brimming cups floated down the river to capybara and tapir. All of a sudden, capybara began to cry. "I couldn't ask for any more. This celebration has been so beautiful." But his crying did not stop, and tapir grew concerned. "But it's just not as perfect as I remember", capybara continued. "It doesn't feel like it did on that evening so many years ago. I don't understand, everything was the same." Tapir gently pat capybara on his shoulder as he blubbered. "The river, the wine, the breeze, the nightingale and the moon, all of it. All the same. And you're here too, old friend. What more can I ask for? WHAT CHANGED?", capybara whimpered. Tapir silently nodded. Capybara's cries trailed off when he ran out of tears, though he still felt a great sadness pressing upon him. Eventually he fell silent. Capybara watched the stream in the moonlight, as it's rushing waters moved on.