Out of Portland. Early in the morning. Dare I say it, 5.30 am in the morning! Delivered two boxes of books and picked up three splendid meditation mats at Great Vow Monastery. We were given a tour of the buildings. Made bows, offered incense and then a gift as we were preparing to leave. What a gift. Swift and fleet of foot our gazelle like guide ran up the garden and returned with two ripe Asian Pears fresh from a tree. The image of this monk winging his way and the delicious fruit will be my main memory of this temple. Lovely temple too. Hearing the chanting of morning service as my traveling companion and I arrived in the dawn light is still in my ears.
Onwards into Canada. O Canada! I could break into song at the joy of returning to this country. In fact I think we did break into song but not O Canada. It went something like, I was born under a wandering star, wheels were made for rollin’, mules were made to pack. I never did see a town that didn’t look better lookin’ back. From Paint Yer Wagon, Lee Marvin.
Anyway here I rest for the night. Up a mountain, in a cabin. With an internet connection. Obviously.
There are always troubles. Sometimes big and sometimes little. We travel through life unstained. There is something at our center that isn’t troubled by what passes by us. That truth is true for all of us. We are all connected through the universality of mankind.
Spoken by Harold, the man at Walmart whose job it is to greet shoppers as they enter the store. Met him this day.
Three of us stood spell bound as this most humble of men quietly sat and talked to us. As we left I sat down on the bench beside him and thanked him for his wisdom. Joined by my traveling companions we said good by and put our hands together in what we call ‘gassho’, a gesture of recognition and gratitude. He did the same. He said ‘God Bless’, I said ‘God Bless’ and then we walked over to the car, climbed in and headed to Portland Priory.
We are indebted to the Harolds of this world. People who talk their truth with humility and with no intention to teach or enlighten. He just seemed to be happy to talk.
Thanks to my traveling companions for helping to remember what was said. It is but the gist of what took place.
And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the
running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything.
– William Shakespeare
Amen to that!
This post marks the end of Tree Fortnight. I’ll be on the road and heading towards Canada tomorrow.
They took all the trees
And put them in a tree museum
And they charged all the people
A dollar and a half just to see’em.
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got
Till it’s gone.
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot.
– Joni Mitchell, Big Yellow Taxi
