I like to meditate in the morning when I wake up. I often have company....
Contemplation in Nature
There is a beautiful park across the road from the Buddhist Meditation Centre where we stayed. I used to live and work nearby. I remembered going to the park for walks with the children I worked with at the local children's hospital. I went for a walk one morning before visiting my dad. I took in the trees and the sound of the stream. I smiled at all the happy dogs walking their owners. I thought about how my dad has been going for daily walks in the countryside near his home while he has been having chemotherapy. I offered to go for a walk with him but he said he likes to walk alone. He seems to find the walks therapeutic and says they help with his pain. I wondered if walking in nature is his contemplative practice. I realised I didn't go for walks like I used to and remembered how much I like being outside. I made a commitment to myself that when I got back to Vancouver, I would spend more time outside and walk more. As my dad says "If you can walk. Walk."
This bench dedicated in memory of Tom overlooked a pretty stream. I wondered if this is where he liked to sit. The message made me think of our class.