Minister’s Message – July 2021

A good life is when you assume

Nothing, do more, need less,

Smile often. Dream big. Laugh

A lot, and realize how blessed

You are.

~Anonymous

I rarely hear sirens, but a couple of days ago the circumstances changed. It is quite unusual to hear helicopters flying overhead. Generally, helicopters are on a rescue mission helping to look for lost people or someone who was injured on their hikes.

The sound of sirens was a constant wailing. I went outside to check it out. At that moment, a large plane flew low over the house, rattling the windows and shaking the ground. It was strange because it was not a commercial plane and we do not regularly have any type of plane flying over the house.

I really did not know what was happening, I received texts from members and one from BCA, asking if I was ok. I replied yes I was fine, why? I tuned into the local news, but nothing was reported. I finally had to go on the Internet and discover that a fire was nearby. The news referred to it as the Avila fires. They named the roads where the fire was, yet I did not know where these roads were.

Then I found where the fires were traveling, it dawned on me that the fire was not that far from the temple. I immediately called the members who lived in the path of the fire. Of course, they were scared and who would not be. They were safe and on their way to safety. My automatic response was Namu Amida Butsu.

Covid 19 was and still is another stressor added to our lives. We feel stressed, scared, frustrated and yes, at times paranoid. It seems as though our world has shrunk down to only our homes. There are still people who defy and not take the virus seriously, yet there is an increase of kindness and courtesy by others. These qualities in people seem to bring my thoughts back to the Buddha Dharma and it is always Namu Amida Butsu.

In these times, it is important to see the lighter side of the situation. It is good to still smile through this hardship. Many people have been working at home and connecting through technology through various means.

Many have been using Zoom. They can actually hold meetings or do business out of the comforts of their homes. Those using this method must still dress as though they are going to work. They must wear a shirt or blouse for others see them from the waist up. We do not know what they wear on the bottom, unless they stand up.

There is still humor in all kinds of situation. A newspaper article wrote about a person who was so comfortable working from home, he forgot how to dress and when he did have to go into the office, he was a little confused. He showered, shaved, had a good breakfast, grabbed his case, and left his house. It was not until he got to his car and his neighbor yelled at him to put some pants on. He was way too comfortable.

 

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