What a sticky mess!

Yesterday, at a monthly retreat, Reverend Fuden spoke about how we have the tendency to "glue" ourselves to things, rather than being open and living out from our Center, from the Buddha Nature. This is something I can really understand...how I get myself into "sticky" situations, where I'm stuck to different things, glued to them, coveting them, grapsing---clinging---CLUTCHING! And even once I realize I have reached this point, it is hard to get out once I'm glued. In other words, it takes my training and meditation to slowly dissolve this glue, this sticky mess or MESSES that I get/ have got myself into.

A verse from the Dhammapada popped into mind:

Those who are attached to passions fall back into the 'stream',
Like a spider, on a self-spun web.
Having cut off even this, the wise proceed
Free of expectation, relinquishing all suffering.

XXIV, 347

And I always remember how sticky a spider web is and how uncomfortable it feels stuck to our face or fingers!