An Open Heart Can't Lead One Astray

Recently, I had a man, stop me bicycling and ask me, “What made you sit down and talk to me?” I had talked with him over a year ago trying to shake the fact he took himself too seriously. He then thanked me for suggesting a dhamma group in town, he has attended for the last year. The point of this is he wanted to know why I helped him, and I said, “I saw me in you!”

Today, I was having my wood floors redone and by some grace got two men, one of which had gratitude in his heart. I immediately felt his open heart and found out that he experienced a similar injury to mine, a stroke. He was busy with his job and I with mine, online stuff, when at noon I got an email from another friend from temple. On the subject line it said EMERGENCY, and it contained a cute photo of a baby pit bull she needed to find a good home for. I wasn’t sure why she would ask me, and I wasn’t sure why she had this dog. I immediately asked the one who had the good heart if he would like a pit bull showing him the two photos of her. He said I have to ask my wife, and my landlord to make sure, but my family would like a dog. So, I let this play out, and later in the day he heard from both and it was ok. I put him on the phone to my friend, and I guess she cried on the phone about wanting her to go to a good home. I had walked away, and walking back I could see with concern he was gentle with her on the phone.We set a time later in the day for them to meet and get the dog. He shows up with his whole family to reassure my friend that the dog is going to a good home. Finding out that she rescued the dog from someone she knew, and she did not want her to be sold to breeders or to made to fight. Locally, they have a perfect program to help families train dogs called BAD RAP. It was perfect in the time we had before she came, I got to know the family of the man I only met 8 hours previous. But all I had to do is see them all and know right away it was right, and I could sit back and let it happen. Immediately any sadness and concern by my friend melted, and all his kids got to meet the dog as it was a secret to them. Just so that he did not promise what he could not deliver until it was OK, which pointed to his maturity in this situation. They all talked and played with the dog, and it was a great fit. The family all gave me hugs and my friend and took off happily with their new dog.

These photos taken by a new friend who was with me to witness this day, Thanks, M.C.!

Ghost Dancers

Fang provided some entertainment yesterday nearby Sri Boonruang Temple, when a local house hired a shaman to get rid of ghosts. The band did jam, and people filed in to get a blessing from the shaman and then dress up and dance. It went on all day and night and I can hear the music from the temple. It was fun to see a non-tourist event like this, and it not far from what I have seen in Isan in the past.


Well, we have been blessed with a happy schizophrenic in this program. A new age child, full of thoughts and weird segways…but harmless. I am not really sure how he got in, but it will be and has been a source of transforming adverse conditions. He is not really interested in dharma, but probably does not have capacity to focus. The great thing is the Thai’s don’t care about crazy farangs, and I am not very different looking than he, so I appear as crazy as is…which I find funny. I think they have one more like it in the program that has seen maybe 30 so far go though. It makes it difficult to discuss Dharma anytime he is involved in the conversation.

The best thing here is being around the youthful energy of the “chunky monkies,” innocent and funny, yet respectful, kids. One saw me walking across the grounds in the rain and ran out and put an umbrella over my head. Some of which are poor kids just here for an education and live here, some are bused in for school in their robes.



Tonight, we did chanting with monks in front and us three in the back of them, then a whole school of kids behind. One of the resident dogs that looks like a miniature Doberman pitcher at the beginning of the chants decided to jump at me at my hands in prayer, wanting to play. I hid my hands under my pants and he would nip at my arms, and I was busting up, and all the “monkies” were laughing. They just finally grabbed him and petted him as we started the chants then he fell asleep. Out of all the kids in the temple and he picked me, I guess because I play with him outside. I think petting him is where I got my eye infection.