Temples & Purpose

I’m sitting on the front stoop of the Sensoukharam Temple, one of several of ~30 temples and monasteries in the center of Luang Prabang where I meditate, listen to evening chants, cogitate or simply sit and ponder.

There’s a palpable peace inside these walls just off Walking (main) Street. There’s also a VV “bug” enshrined in an ornate glass-enclosed room on campus. I was actually looking for the reclining Buddha, and discovered it. Wonders never cease. I squinted to read it belonged to a past Abbot of the monastery. 

I was reading the other day that insects may have feelings and emotions, and I wondered about the car. Certainly my VW bug, circa 1962, seemed pretty savvy and smart; it surely got me out of some jams, transporting me long distances as if on wings of fire.

I’m feeling at peace sitting here and found myself envisioning the car returning to its sources: the window glass dissolving into sand, limestone, sodium carbonate; the steel into iron ore; the rubber tires like maple sap up-taken by trees. I could picture and practically feel these elements undisturbed in the earth, reinvigorating and healing the trees of many wounds. 

—

I had been feeling a bit lackluster the past two days. I chalked it up to irritated sinuses that rendered my left ear with ringing that settled into muffled sound. The worry it might get worse, then what would I do if I had a heart attack? And the frustration over the Vietnam visa, the fact that I look 40% older than 10 years ago. Whiny me. You know how the mind can have its way with you. 

But then it came to me that I was simply feeling purposeless. And that, like daily nourishment, I’m in need of daily purpose. 

No sooner this, than I was asking Toui if I could stay two more nights, hoping against hope that I’ll receive my visa by then. I asked whether I should request the change with Airbnb or whether I could pay directly. Whereupon he said he’d prefer if I paid directly. It seems he hadn’t received payment yet from Airbnb, and not just me, but going back to October! Not to say I was at all happy about this, but I could feel my spirits rising with purpose like bread dough with yeast (or sourdough starter).

I went to work. Toui’s wife, Mon, is more versed in English (little did I know), and we spent the next two hours talking, then texting with Airbnb Australia. First an Australian accent, but when she put us on hold to check the records, Mon hung up. She didn’t understand, and the cost of long-distance calling and data is oddly exorbitant here; 1G of data costs $4.99, and I’m waiting to make several phone calls til I get to Vietnam (assuming I get to Vietnam).

The next call was answered by an Indian accent, and though I wish I hadn’t internally groaned, my experience hasn’t been good with Indian customer service agents, neither understanding them, or them understanding me. But dear Sunita was a gem! Until Mon used up her phone credit and again we were disconnected.

Now, if this were happening on my behalf, I would have gone (nearly) ballistic with frustration. But on behalf of Toui and Mon, I was able to take it all in stride. After all, I had purpose. 

To cut to the chase, we received a text from Sunita, apologizing for the dropped call and providing the information that we needed to proceed. I know I’ll sleep well, knowing I’ll wake up to purpose, to resolve this issue for them, which will release several thousand dollars into their bank account.

There’s more magic to the story, the young Swiss woman that stopped in for a late lunch; and stepping out into the cool of the night, feeling refreshed, only to have the Buddhist novice-monk I had met at Big Brother Mouse a couple days ago, along with his novice-monk companion who thought I was a rock star, pass by. This is the 2nd time this happened, and together we glowed in the warmth of serendipity. And for that brief moment in time, I did feel like a rock star.