Gasshō,
I’m writing this on the 29th anniversary of the purchase of the original Zen Center in Mountain View. I think this is where I say something like, “It just doesn’t seem possible that it’s been that long,” or “My, time certainly flies,” but neither of those would be true for me. In fact, I marvel that it’s only been twenty-nine years!
When I look back and see that intrepid little band of meditators standing on the front porch of that ramshackle wreck of a house, trying to see where we’d get nine thousand dollars for the down payment, I am stunned by all that has happened in the ensuing years. It simply doesn’t seem possible.
Moments ago I was reading the latest blog from Kantolomba; last night we listened to the recording Jen sent back from the project, hearing the voices of our friends in Zambia; Michael and I getting ready to do Open Air, preparing to speak with Sangha from around the world; the resident monks and visiting monks listening to the show on the lawn at the Monastery, having finished a day of readying for the next retreat to begin, our eighth of the season…
And, in a couple of months we will have a celebration that, for me, brings it all together. On September 22, we will join together in San Francisco for the 11th annual Bridge Walk to support our friends in Kantolomba, and then on September 26-29, we will gather at the Monastery to renew our Precepts and celebrate 25 years of Precepts ceremonies. How can people be so fortunate?!
Be with us in person if you can; be with us in spirit if you can’t be with us in person.
In gasshō,
Cheri