A Sweet Story

I'm attributing the reason that I'm feeling so much better to both James healing purple compassion and to my friend, Ren's magical fish tonic. Thanks for sharing the good stuff my friends.

I worked all day at the college and saw clients tonight. We had Thai food for dinner and then Jerry wanted me to go with him to see the band Sambada which is playing only 3 blocks from our house. I was tempted but didn't want to push it. Now I'm kinda sorry I didn't go.

On Sunday I'm attending a full day Vipassana meditation with John Travis who is the founder of Mt. Stream Meditation Center in Northern California. He'll be right here in Chico at the Sky Creek Dharma Center.

So here is a sweet story about the Sky Creek Dharma Center, as it relates to my childhood.

When I was a young girl between the ages of six and ten years, I lived in a very unhappy family with a very abusive step-father. He was the religious type, deacon of our church, lots of bible reading, prayer and that sort of stuff.

My mother had somehow met and befriended this pentecostal family, the Perry's, who lived in a big ranch house north my town. Their family and mine, became close and we were often invited to parties at their home and some of my fondest childhood memories are of these times.

The father, I think his name was Chuck, ran a sawmill at the airport and the mother, Betty, raised their seven boys, the youngest who was adopted. Well, that's the roles they played that were significant to me anyway. They would have these big parties with lots of food and people and a big pool full of kids. Sometimes, when the party was over, some of us kids would get to spend the night. I loved spending time at their home where I felt loved, safe, paid attention to, and where life was not only peaceful (in a chaotic kid filled sort of way) but also full of adventure. I was relaxed and happy in that home. That was 45 years ago.

Awhile back I attended a potluck at the Sky Creek Dharma Center. Standing in the kitchen I was overwhelmed with familiarity, almost a deja vu experience but not quite. All of a sudden I knew where I was and all my memories of the time spend in that kitchen, in that home with the Perry family came flooding back. The house had been remodeled of course and the pool in the huge backyard had since been filled in. But as I walked through each room I remembered so much and I was touched and emotionally filled in a way that surprised me. I felt as if I was home.

Next spring, my friend Patrick and I will co-master an Enlightenment Intensive at the Sky Creek Dharma Center. Life and its circles. Isn't that a sweet story?