This is my last posting from Waldbrol. At 1:30 one of the retreatants from Bonn will give the 3 of us a ride to the Cologne airport. Doug seems organized and is lunching with his mentor when he was a novice. I snacked on walnuts, chocolate covered almonds and a protein bar. The oatmeal with toppings fills me up at breakfast so I’m not that hungry. Maybe we’ll have a wonderful Italian supper in Milan!
I want to write down how proud I am of Doug and what he is doing. He is so valued here and you can tell that he’s loved as well by the community. He is using so many of his talents, music, both playing and singing, his humor, his wonderful smile and personality, his technical skills (even though he’d like to do something else, he says!), his intellect, organizational and motivational skills to help keep these huge events organized and running smoothly. And he seems so genuinely happy! So many people have come up to me here who know him, just met him, worked with him, and tell me how lucky I am and how grateful they are to have him in the community. What else could a mom ask for for their child? I’m very fortunate!
I’ve met some wonderful people, saw some old acquaintances from other visits, and had a very relaxing time. It’s amazing to me that so many people – 700-900+ - took time off from work for 5 days, really 6, and spent the time here getting in touch with very deep feelings. There is obviously a need for what this community does in so many sites around the world. I could see it being of more value to me if I was stressed by work, family, obligations, etc. It’s more restful and relaxing to me as I’m not in any life crisis right now. My new friend Marlis was saying how she came to know this practice maybe in 1998 when her mother, a very active, loved-to-travel 76 year old, who had raised her from 15 months and her sister still in the womb, alone, when their father died. She said she was the best mom in the world. And one afternoon she just said she didn’t feel well, went to lay down and died within the hour! Talk about shock!! At least we had some warning and preparation time!
Anyway, she and her sister were stricken with grief. Her sister heard about Plum Village and dragged Marlis there. Her sister ended up having to leave early but Marlis stayed. And it was so helpful and she’s been a practitioner ever since. She found it so helpful in dealing with her grief and her life.
What I’ve gotten out of this is a reinforcement of the here and now! That’s all we’ve got! You never know from minute to minute. So really appreciate, be happy, enjoy the beauty and experiences of right here and now. I’m reading a book I bought called No Death, No Fear, I think it is. So we’ll see what enlightenment that brings me. Sometimes Thay talks in circles, at least in my mind, so is difficult to understand any meaning. I think the written materials are a bit easier. So we’ll see!
Everyone is packing up and heading home. My roommates and I cleaned and vacuumed and stripped our beds. They each came by to say goodbye. It turned out to be very enjoyable!
Auf Wiedersehen to Waldbrol!
A little addendum! Our ride to the airport, turns out he was a guy in our dharma sharing group, dropped us off here and I can get on the internet at the airport. Couldn't get on back at the monastery so I just saved the posting. He was a delightful guy, from Heidelburg, and was visiting a cousin in Bonn tonight, then going back to Waldbrol for the Day of Mindfulness on Sunday with Thay. This was his first retreat. He had been to several MBSR (Mind Body Stress Reduction) seminars based on Jon Kabot-Zinn's work - same ideas without the Buddhist element). He said he really enjoyed the retreat and would do it again. He works for SAP, I think he said, a competitor of Oracle - in the IT field. It was about and hour and a half drive so it would have been an EXPENSIVE taxi ride! Many people were posting they needed rides somewhere and everyone pitches in. It's really generous!
We're all checked in - but our flight isn't until 6:10 PM to Mailand (who would have guessed that means Milan!). I've got some new books to read as I finished the two I brought and left them there. Someone will probably toss them out as they are not exactly retreat material!! David Baldalucci and John Grisham!! I should have gotten a Nook to bring before I left!
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