I prepared my black coffee and sat in front of
my Buddhist altar other day. I was going through the comments of all those who
read my last post. I have to say I have accumulated so much fortune knowing how so many of you send me love and wishes even know we haven´t met ever or only a few
times. I have to say my last post moved me and my life. It was a beautiful Friday.
I went to kaikan, chanted for 2 and half hours and eventually a beautiful evening
filled with indian humor thanks to another indian friend and so much laughter. As
you can see, I love sarcasm, craziness and laughter… my smile is all I am.
Thinking on my smile, I just recalled my
experience from 26th July onwards. If you recall, I had already
bought my tickets to Italy with an impulsive decision without knowing how I will
do it without much money or where I will stay and so on. What I didn´t mention
is that on 23rd july, my flatmate left for Italy and told me that
she will come to airport to pick me up if she can arrange car or otherwise she
explained be a bus route. I had my tickets for Naples, Italy while I had bus
tickets for Rome for 3 days. During all this crazily busy days with me doing daimoku
without any specific goals. The only thing I chanted for was ¨Protection¨. I
still had no money to book for hotels in Rome. Suddenly just 2 days before my
trip I found out about a Buddhist member living in Rome. She offered me to
sleep at her place. So far, my luggage and my tickets were ready but mentally I
had no expectations rather I was hoping that my first 3 day solo trip in Rome
and Naples living with flatmate and her parents would be fine. As I didn’t wana
be a burden on them.
25th July: I was running for some
basic stuff and doing packing even though I was so lazy to do anything.
Suddenly, I realised that I was so tired physically and mentally that even thought
of Italy wasn´t helping. As I felt more concerned on how it will go then being
excited to travel. I knew it was my depression side that was trying to suck me
in my darkness. I knew my budget was only certain XXX euros for 8 days there,
and I already found my accommodation and all. Though my itinerary was still not
clear as my main goal was to be able to go to kaikan/centre in Italy. By night
somehow I tried to finish my packing while drying my wet shoes with a hairdryer
:P Desperate measures at desperate times :P Eventually I forced myself to sleep
knowing I only have 4 hours. In morning my inner darkness was stronger to not
even give me energy to get up. Somehow I made it to airport, chanting till I reached
airport, Welcome to fun part, there was such a long queue that I basically
found myself standing in line for one hour thinking dammit my Italian trip
would never happen. Finally, I begged 100 people ahead of me in the line to let
me pass a si had only 10 minutes and I did make it to my plane. At last, reaching
airport and seeing my flat mate and her dad so excited for coming to pick me up
that it made me relax a little. And a whole new journey of benefits started
coming through. I planned my trip in Italy after planning when and which days i
will be going to kaikan. I changed my itinerary based on the availability of
people with whom I could go to kaikan. Eventually I was in kaikan of Salerno
and later in Rome. I even attended the ceremony of people receiving gohonzon
and later a small get together at one of the members who received gohonzon.
Did I tell you, in Rome I stayed in the house
of member not on a couch or something but she had a whole another apartment
with my own privacy, double bedroom and so on. The list good things doesn’t stop
there, I even could chant on her butsudan every single morning before leaving
for whole day of tourism. On the other hand, staying with my flatmate was like
a family holiday, her father will make our morning coffee and breakfast later
we will chant for one hour and then go for tourism. I met so many people and
members, in fact in Salerno, I could even lead chanting for few minutes later
connected with one of the senior Byakuren who was feeling sick so lacked smile
on her face but when she saw me. She was like you must be Byakuren as your
smile says it all. I love how people recognize me for my smile and laugh. The
spirit I carry and being the face of Buddha even in midst of challenges is like
my biggest benefit of this practice. While the day of return was coming, I realized
that these 8 days in Italy were first time I forgot about my PhD, Family or any
responsibilities’ and had a truly kosen rufu holiday with so much happiness,
benefits and eventually growing and doing my human revolution by putting
practice as first even during vacation.
Oops, on the first day itself I received a mail
regarding my work that one of my external reviewer had already read my thesis
and send me a report. It was like a moment where I was relaxed as one thing was
less to worry.
In the end, last but not the least the best
benefit that happened and that I didn´t even realised or think upon during
those days was my financial karma. Like I said I had on xxx euros and now don´t
be shocked my whole travel was basically covered in exactly those xxx euros.
With no expenses of hotels or without counting money while I had to eat outside
while tourism. In the end, my departure was filled with happy tears, my Italian
mother who has always reminded me of my maternal grandmother had tears in her
eyes and I knew, I have so many bonds in life to eb grateful for as well as my
bond with my flatmate got profound.
Don´t worry I am not finished as benefits continued
and for now we have reached 3rd august and I will be back soon.
To be continued…
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