Nine years ago to-day my father died. Here is an extract from a posting written in 2005 while I was travelling past the site of his death.
…now on my return journey to Cornwall in what is called the West Country, the train passes through Taunton in Somerset. It is a special place of remembrance since my father died on the platform just before he was due to meet me off a train in January 2000. At that time, as my trained pulled out of the station, I was silent witness to a touching scene. I observed from across several tracks the paramedics arrive and attempt to revive a gentleman, unknown to me at the time. Considering the odds of being present at the time of my father’s death I am always so grateful for what happened in Taunton since I was able to be there for him. Present at the time of his death, even though I didn’t realize it at the time! I was also conveniently placed to attend to all that follows the death, identifying the body followed by funeral arrangements.
Each time I pass through Taunton on the train, as I have just done, I remember my father with great gratitude. I also remember with a smile, at the circumstances of his death, he would have smiled too!
29th January is always a special day of rememberence for me and as it happened we had a rather memorable menu posted to day, all in French. A bit of fun, and wonderful food too.
Over the years I’ve been given a number of these Japanese style porcelain bells depicting the animal associated with the lunisolar calender. Year of the OX started on 26th January and the bell arrived on the 27th. Good timing. Receiving a package in the mail is always an unexpected pleasure, and sometimes receiving a present becomes a shared pleasure.
Pulling open the package in the yard with expectant faces gathered around. The package tinkles. What is it we wonder aloud. I already know what it is. The object nestles in tissue paper. It emerges gradually and we guess. It’s, it’s the year of the…camel? No. The year of the pig? No. Then one of the monks spotted the twirling horns. Yes! The year of the buffalo! Close.
Commemorative stamp issued by Canada Post for the Year of the OX
It’s also a special time for Canada Post, …This year, we honour the Year of the Ox: a time of stability, harmony and balance. The issue will be the first release in a new 12-year Lunar New Year series.
Thanks Canada Post, you are the jewel in the crown of stamp design worldwide.
The monks retreat has ended however there is still time and space for contemplation. With this in mind I’m returning to very dear Zen Master Ryokan’s poem’s which I hope you will enjoy as much as I do. The photographs accompanying the text will be of fungi. This is for no other reason than I rarely get a chance, or reason, to publish them! The type of fungi I have grow on trees. About Fungus in Wikipedia.
…the fungi are now considered a separate kingdom, distinct from both plants and animals, from which they appear to have diverged approximately one billion years ago. Many studies have identified several distinct morphological, biochemical, and genetic features in the Fungi, clearly delineating this group from the other kingdoms. For these reasons, the fungi are placed in their own kingdom.
This is Lichen, see comment for it’s place in the fungus kingdom. (edited on 19th December, 2008.)
Word Wednesday: lesser know words, pointing to familiar themes, relevant to spiritual practice. Resipiscence is a corker!
Resipiscence
Noun: recognition of past mistakes and desire to do better in future.
The word is derived from Latin resipiscere which means ‘to recover one’s senses’.
From Foyle’s Philavery, A treasury of unusual words.
This looks like a fine sentiment, or ‘movement of the heart’, for those following a spiritual path.
During the second WW my mother drank dandelion coffee, because there wasn’t anything else. People are still drinking dandelion coffee, even making their own.
There are plenty of reasons to celebrate the dandelion. People eat the greens and crowns. Make wine and fritters from the blossoms. But for me, dandelion-root coffee is the real prize. Because organic, fair trade coffee is pricey, it’s easy to quantify the value every scoop of dandelion coffee that I brew. Suite Mck
See also recent comments on the Giving post.
This is transition day – Bay Area up through the burning hot Sacramento Valley to the heady heights of Mount Shasta.
Practice Within The Order of Buddhist Contemplatives
