# The glasses on top of his nose

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-glasses-on-nose
- Themes: mistakes, humour, ageing
- Life situations: forgetfulness, embarrassing mistake, getting older

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Halfway down Kingsbury Drive on the way to a Friday talk, Ajahn Brahm tells his driver to turn back for the glasses he needs for committee papers; after searching his bag and the glove box, the driver asks, “Ajahn Brahm, have you checked on top of your nose?”

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

this was some years ago, you know when I started wearing glasses. Amandus wrote this in I think my biography book. I was leaving Bodhinyana monastery to come here on a Friday night. And it was halfway down Kingsbury drive and I said Amandus was my driver. I said you gotta turn around. I looked in my bag I left my glasses in the monastery. You've got to turn around. I need that you know read all the documents for the committee. And he turned to me and said “Ajahn Brahm, have you checked on top of your nose?” I looked in my bag, I looked in the glove box, I looked everywhere. Except where my glasses actually were: on the top of my nose.

## Teaching point

Allow mistakes, tell people about them and laugh — then the world laughs with you.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

He searched his bag, then the glove box, then nearly sent the car back up the hill, while the glasses sat on his nose. Ajahn Brahm tells it against himself, happily. We all do things like this. Rather than scolding yourself, tell the story at dinner; laughing at your own slips makes them lighter for everyone.

## Source

- [How To Not Have Any Stress | Ajahn Brahm | 12 May 2017](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJSxDv4XrY4) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 32:36 to 33:20: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJSxDv4XrY4&t=1956s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Sex and Booze | Ajahn Brahm | 01-07-2011](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKQfkUXfx4Y) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 12:20 to 13:02: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKQfkUXfx4Y&t=740s
- [Happiness Industry: Joy At Last! | Ajahn Brahm | 27-07-2007](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex5a4a40k6s) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:02:50 to 1:03:15: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex5a4a40k6s&t=3770s