The Topic is Balance...

Every week I go to the Vietnamese Zen Temple hoping to magically understand Vietnamese. They say that everyone can pick up any language within a 6-month period. After two months, I can read Vietnamese enough to follow the service - I have no idea what the words mean, I can just read them - that good old Rote Method.

However, today was different. Today, I did understand the sermon. While largely given in Vietnamese, modern words like: texting, email, Internet, disturbing the conference, etc... have not developed into Vietnamese equivalent. So between body language, facial cues and vocal cues I eventually realized I, or should I say, my behavior was the topic. A wee bit embarrassing to be certain, but enlightening none-the-less. I was very grateful to learned I committed a faux pas - you can't fix something if you don't know.

You see, I've been rather negative lately. It started last week with PMS (Post, not Pre), was encouraged with a lack of books (I'm in my 6th week of College classes) and was further developed with missing my son. So I did some inappropriate text messaging during a conference.

However, the Monk has a wonderful, generous nature and came to Sunday service with a plan. He invited me to drain all my negativity into the soil. He told me to give him my negative energy and he would compost it until it was renewed and positive again.

He also gave me a job to help get me started. I was to clean the outdoor theater area. The children of the Temple will be having their Fall Festival Presentation soon. First, move everything off the cement area (they had been using it to weld large Temple doors), then sweep the rust and acorns away...

He told me that my efforts would encourage others to come help, so I gathered five brooms and laid them around the area in anticipation. "Build and they will come" - they came. The first was well into her 60's and she helped me move all kinds of heavy metal and large plywood. The next were in their 40's and the last were in their teens and 10's.

It became a huge effort with wonderful results. First we cleared the floor of construction, then cleaned it of leaves, acorns and rust. Next we set up tables and found more chairs. The children cleaned the stage with brooms and began practicing their dance routines, while the teenagers gave directions from the audience area.

It was a Great lesson in Balance.

I don't know if I will ever understand Vietnamese, but I am learning more about compassion and positive encouragement....

There's Grace in that...