I had an absolutely fabulous three weeks before returning to the ROC. I went to Orford (AKA. Kim-ford, for those viola attendees), had some time in Boston, and a wonderful mindfulness retreat with Thich Nhat Hanh, and finally some time with MJ and her family on the North Shore. All in all, I would rate it an amazing couple of weeks. I will be giving a bit more information on the fabulousness of Thich Nhat Hanh in the next few days, once I have a computer powercord (accidentally typed power-Chord at first). But let me say this: that he is a profoundly brilliant, peaceful, and loving person, and getting to see him and absorb his way of life has certainly changed me. While I hardly consider myself an amazingly "good" Buddhist, I feel that he makes his teachings understandable and accessible for all practitioners, whether Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Mormon, or anything. He explains things very clearly and makes concepts simple and applicable to life, while touching on deeper issues with huge consequences. Spending time with Kim (aka. kimmy kashkash) was great, and I'm thrilled to be on sociable terms with her. (I went to dinner with her and her daughter in Boston). While I don't know if I'll ever get a chance to formally study with her, it was wonderful to get so much exposure to her teaching, while also learning a ton about Ligeti and Kurtag. Lastly, Boston and all its inhabitants made life wonderful. I did learn that Boston is not without its flaws- driving and the hunt for parking places are certainly unfortunate, and perhaps my love for Boston is slightly unrealistic. However, I know that the life I had before, and the friends I made there are the most valuable things there, even if it takes me 10 minutes to find a parking place near school.
Listening to: Riceboy sleeps. I am also thrilled to be watching the film '500 days of summer' tonight.
No comments:
Post a Comment