Emily (11) and Bruce (7) continue to show me creative ways to nurture the seeds of dharma. This September, Emily entered a new school — an enormous, public middle school after attending a very small private school all her elementary years. Needless to say, it was something of a culture shock, but the second week of school I learned from Emily that she uses the bells between classes as bells of mindfulness to help her restore her peace and smile in a sometimes confusing and rushed environment.
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Emily (11) and Bruce (7) continue to show me creative ways to nurture the seeds of dharma. This September, Emily entered a new school -- an enormous, public middle school after attending a very small private school all her elementary years. Needless to say, it was something of a culture shock, but the second week of school I learned from Emily that she uses the bells between classes as bells of mindfulness to help her restore her peace and smile in a sometimes confusing and rushed environment.
***
Shortly after the children and I returned from Plum Village this summer, Bruce and I discovered a dead baby squirrel in our front yard. We could tell it had only recently died as it was still warm. Its tail was so tiny and soft. We felt sad and so stood and watched our breath for a moment. I was on my way out, but Bruce said he would bury the squirrel. When I returned home later I saw a small paper sign attached to a stick next to one of our rosebushes. I bent down to take a closer look and read the words in Bruce's careful printing:
Here lays a small
dead squirrel
ready to become a
Rose
Mobi Ho
San Antonio, Texas
