Musings from the Land of Sunshine

It’s a comfortingly domestic evening. My son sits practising piano chords while my daughter bustles around wearing fairy wings and making tea. The dog, intent upon physical proximity, lies gazing soulfully into the near distance. I sit with my Mind Training text on my lap, musing happily on recent events. It occurs to me that memories of my young family will consist of many moments such as these; when we were together and the world of childhood was all around me.

A dear friend came to visit this past weekend from the place of joyful colour that is Mexico City. I stayed with her back in the autumn when I taught at our Buddhist center there; this was a return visit. It was a sunshine drenched stretch of time that passed far too quickly. The water in Malibu lagoon shimmered in a vast array of blues all around us as we walked and talked and walked some more. Friends gathered for food and conversation one evening and the low hum of chatter and laughter filled the air for a few hours. 

A group sat together in our peaceful center on Saturday and listened as my friend spoke from the heart about some key topics of Buddhist ethics. I’m always so happy when I hear these ideas. The depth of human wisdom that they contain is beautifully clear in all its simplicity and one is reminded of the countless men and women, past and present, who work to understand and practise them.

We’ve lived internationally for almost nine years now. Life has changed, reshaped itself if you like and emerged with a pattern and timing that is different to previous experience. As well as the daily rhythm and close connection of family there is also the regularity of time spent with family and friends from different countries and places such as this most recent occasion. It adds a very special depth and dimension to our existence; almost as if we are all participants in a wonderful dance that moves to its very own steps and music.