Every Morning He Went to Exercise

**Summary:** A middle-aged man suddenly becomes diligent about exercising each morning, but the truth behind this change is a cautionary story about the power of sensation.

The sky was still dim, and early morning dew clung to the branches in the park. Mr. Tuan, fifty-five years old, hurriedly put on his shoes, threw on a thin windbreaker, and quietly opened the door. In the bedroom, his wife was still sound asleep. He gently closed the door behind him, his heart beating faster than usual.

Just one month prior, Mr. Tuan had been a man reluctant to exercise. Every morning was the same; his wife had to urge him repeatedly before he lazily got out of bed. But since meeting that woman in the park, everything suddenly changed. She also came to exercise, also at that same time, and when their eyes met, Mr. Tuan felt a gentle electric current run down his spine. It was a feeling of serene, dreamlike pleasantness, strangely comforting. That feeling made him feel young again, made life seem truly worth living.

"You've been so diligent about exercising lately, haven't you? Before, even if I asked, you wouldn't go," his wife remarked while brewing coffee, her voice a mix of surprise and gladness.

"It's for health, that's all. Staying home all the time gets stifling," Mr. Tuan replied, not daring to meet her eyes.

But then, day after day, it was the same. At exactly six in the morning, Mr. Tuan was at the park. He walked back and forth, his eyes searching for that familiar silhouette. When he saw her, his heart would beat with excitement. They only exchanged a few polite greetings: "Good morning, you're early today."—"Hello, you too." But that small exchange was enough to make Mr. Tuan feel elated for the rest of the day.

His wife began to notice. "Mr. Tuan, why is it that even though you exercise so much lately, you look pale and seem to be withering away? People exercise to get healthier, but you seem to be deteriorating?"

Mr. Tuan just gave a sheepish smile. Inside him, a fierce struggle was taking place. He knew this feeling was inappropriate. He had a family, a wife, children, and age against him. Yet, that serene feeling of meeting the woman each morning was like a dark enchantment, pulling him out of bed, pulling him away from reason. "It's just exercise, what's the harm?" he told himself. But deep down, he knew he was deceiving himself.

One morning, when his wife asked, "Why do you rush off to exercise every morning without inviting me along?" Mr. Tuan stammered, "Ah, I go early. You should sleep more. I finish and come right back."

But then, one day, the woman stopped coming to the park. A week, two weeks passed. Mr. Tuan felt a growing longing and anxiety. He searched for her, asked around, and then received the news: she was pregnant. And the child was his.

Mr. Tuan was stunned. It felt as though the world was crumbling before his eyes. He could not look into his wife's eyes, could not think of his children. From then on, he no longer dared to go exercise. Each morning, he lay still in bed, staring at the ceiling, his heart filled with regret and shame. "If only I had recognized that feeling as dangerous from the very beginning, when it first arose, and had stayed far away..." Mr. Tuan blamed himself, but it was all too late.

**Meaning of the Story**

This story reveals the power of sensations (*vedanā*) in driving human actions. A feeling that seems harmless, if not recognized and controlled, can lead us into serious mistakes. A practitioner needs **wisdom** (*prajñā*) to discern which sensations are wholesome and which are not, and the strength of character to stay away from unwholesome conditions of contact from the very start.

*Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thích Chân Quang.*