Happy New Year. May every new day bring a life of gratitude.
We face many challenges in our lives; in the world, in our local communities, in our sanghas and in our families. At times these challenges can feel overwhelming. Sometimes we are numbed by converging events, no longer capable of determining meaningful references. Global warming, war, poverty. Death of family and friends, inability to communicate, depression. How can we possibly live a life of gratitude?
As I write this article, it is 11:14 am PST, December 18, 2007, I’m watching a live broadcast of the unscheduled fourth space walk of STS-116. From my chair in San Jose, I am listening to and watching live two people exit the International Space Station in an attempt to unstick the solar array that is hung up on its guide wires. How amazing is that?
We have such incredible abilities and resources. Whether a simple device to pump ground water from beneath drought stricken lands and micro loans to facilitate development and exchange of resources in impoverished communities to living 250 miles above earth’s surface we are capable of resolving amazing challenges.
Yet the challenge that we constantly return to, unable to fully resolve, is distribution of our resources. Not necessarily equal or even fair, but satisfactory distribution. Resources are not just material or tangible, but also time, energy or attention.
A little after noon today, a woman came to the temple office door. Staff, along with Miss Cindy from our preschool, tried to determine what she wanted to say or ask. She was very animated and seemed to express sadness or distress. I was asked to come out to try and help. We invited her to come into the office. She spoke only Chinese. We were able to determine that she lived at Fuji Tower, the senior housing down the street. We called three places to ask for help communicating with her. We hoped to find out what she needed. One place transferred our call to a recorded message, at another place staff was in a meeting and at still another place no one was available who spoke Chinese. She seemed to be becoming more distressed. We were becoming more frustrated. I finally asked her to follow me. We went out the office, up the handicap ramp and through the Hondo front door. As we came up to the onaijin she let go of her walker, kneeled and bowed in gassho. I asked her to sit in the pew and to wait while I went to change into my fuho. When I came back, I lit the candles in the onaijin and placed incense in the burners of the gejin. I invited her to oshoko then to sit while I read Juseige. As we left the Hondo we turned, bowed and went out. On the front steps of the Hondo she once again, knelt in gassho. She got up and started to say something, then put her palm to her chest then pointed at me and then to the office and then she simply said, “Shay shay”. It was the only word I understood: ”Thank you”
I was getting frustrated earlier because I couldn’t communicate and didn’t know what to do. Efforts to resolve the situation were unsuccessful. When I decided to go to the Hondo, it was the only thing I could think of doing for the time being. I still don’t know what she wanted. I was happy to hear her say, shay shay.
From our family to all of you, we wish to say, shay shay. Thank you for all the kindness we’ve received.
