Super powers.

As boys growing up as I did in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s one of our biggest influences in life was super hero comic books. Characters like Superman, Batman, The Flash, The Mighty Atom, Green Lantern and many more were not fantasies to us but more like life-style and career choices.
When asked which super power we would want it was easy to identify with our own favourite hero. Later, as we arrived in our adolescent years, if asked which super power we would like, invisibility or X Ray vision was the popular choice for obvious reasons. The ability to see girls naked was much more attractive than the ability to fight or run fast!
Later again as adults now, if asked about super powers perhaps the ability to fly would come top of the list, although invisibility always remained high with many men, still for the same reasons. To be free from cars and roads, towns and crowds, but just to leap in the air and soar in infinite space! So far away from mortgages, work and family pressure, and everything else we feel is tying us to a life that is no longer enjoyable and does not fit our childhood dreams.
Now for me, having committed fifty years to a dedicated Dhamma life there is only one super power that I would like. To be able to meet someone and shake hands or embrace or kiss, and in that moment release them completely from all their fears and anxieties. For just a few minutes they would experience directly the reality of a fearless and love filled existence and recognize the desperate foolishness of chasing any kind of lasting security in a worldly life.
They would be free and so taste the reality of awakening. Of course, no one can liberate another from their karma and their delusion, but with this super power they would be free at least for a few minutes. After that they would know why I encourage all my students and disciples not to miss a moment in their training and not to give up before complete self realization.
Awakening is the greatest gift we can give to ourselves and then share with the world. Super hero or not, nothing is greater, more valuable and more powerful than this.

May all beings be happy.