Good Fortune

 

With the wish to help all beings
May all my thoughts be free of attachment and ego.
May they arise from compassion and wisdom.
May they be imbued with patience and joy.

I wrote this verse without realizing initially how much I would need it. In 2003, I was living in Australia. Concerned about my eight-nine year old mother, in December I returned to the US to visit her for a few months. She had recently moved to Elkhart, Indiana and was sounding lonely. Understandable, since she was born and raised in New York City and had been living in Dallas.

After staying with her for a while, I decided it would be best if I remained here with her. Filial piety is very important in Buddhism, especially so in Chinese Buddhism with it's Confucian influence. So even though I am a nun and have thus "left home," my mother's welfare was still very important to me. Fortunately, my work involves editing, writing, answering correspondence, helping Amitabha Buddhist societies and Pure Land Learning centers when they request assistance, and generally whatever I can help with. So my work can be done anywhere I can plug in my computer and get on the Internet!

Today, almost three years after I came to visit I am still in Elkhart, living with my mother. I have had the good fortune to meet many wonderful, caring people here. Invitations to give Dharma talks have resulted in my teaching weekly at the Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship in Elkhart and monthly at Sacred Waters in South Bend. And I have just begun bi-monthly visits to Culver Academy in Culver to lead Sacred Silence. Other opportunities to speak locally and around the area have also arisen. So I have the good fortune to be "still in Elkhart" helping my mother and doing my work.

I am also very fortunate to know some very good people in Nanango, Australia, who are looking after the Amitabha Buddhist Retreat Centre and patiently waiting for me to return to Nanango.

I take this opportunity to express my appreciation to good friends on the path.

Amituofo.