Dreams

Today I woke feeling tired. 

I cleaned the condo.

I read a Dharma book while laying in bed. The master describes locating his reincarnated mother with the aid of dreams.

I fell asleep and dreamt. 

I walked through a city park, green and quiet, then lay down on a bench shaded by large trees. In the distance a group of young men play a ball game. In one hand I held a glass pipe and my backpack was on the bench next to my legs. I was calm and expecting impunity. 

The men who were playing ball had surrounded the bench. One took my pipe. Another violently kicked his leg against the bench. Someone stood behind me, out of sight. 

I recalled the Master's words from the Dharma book : 

"From this we can see that the principal causes of both happiness and problems are in the mind, not in the external world. If we were able to maintain a calm and peaceful mind all day long, we would never experience any problems or mental suffering. For example, if our mind remains peaceful all the time, then even if we are insulted, criticized, or blamed, or if we lose our job or our friends, we will not become unhappy. No matter how difficult our external circumstances may become, for as long as we maintain a calm and peaceful mind, the situation will not be a problem for us. Therefore, if we wish to be free from problems there is only one thing to do - learn to maintain a peaceful state of mind by practicing Dharma sincerely and purely." 

I remained calm. I did not move or attempt to defend myself. 

I said to the kicking man, "this looks to be a bad karma day for me." He laughed and kicked and the others jeered. 

I sensed my backpack would be taken but the men walked away. 

A dark skinned man appeared and he jumped onto the bench beside me.  I smiled, "relax, man, relax." He smiled. 

In the distance one of the men gave me a hard look, but I smiled and gave a thumbs up, and he broke into a wide smile and placed his thumb high into the air. 

A man and a woman approached me, getting close to my face. The woman had a green bump on her nose. "You got a car we can use?" I smiled, "I walked here." 

They looked wild. 

If I could keep my mind calm...I did my best not to panic. 

The couple thanked me and I told them to have a good day. 

The dark skinned man stood up from the bench, shook my hand, and I saw his fingers were nubs. 

Two White Roses

This morning two long stemmed white roses appeared at my feet and I carried them to the Wishing Tree. 

Arriving at the tree I gazed at an offering from the Pink Angel, rich white flowers surrounding a center of golden fairy dust. I placed the two white roses horizontally and scattered rice amongst the flowers.

I walked to the track and did the exercise circuit. 

After exercising I walked to the beach. I passed a group of people relaxing on the steps of the lakefront path and they blessed me with beautiful smiles and shouts of glee. 

Twenty One

A satisfying day.

Twenty one hill repeats.

One chocolate milk. 

Childhood

Yesterday reminded me of childhood, the body light and hungry.

I left the condo at 6:30am and ran to the track, running sprints and doing the exercise circuit. 

I then ran to Northerly Island and did hill repeats. 

In the afternoon I walked four miles to Pilsen, where I visited a friend.

This morning I walked to the Wishing Tree. I gazed at the Pink Angel's offering of pink and white flowers and strawberries, placed in a geometric pattern.

My body resembles my twelve year old self, a skinny mass of energy and light. 

The White Feather

This morning I walked downtown to the city chess club at Printers Row. After checking on a friend's tournament progress, I walked to Northerly Island to run the hill. 

I felt a youthful strength in my legs and I lost count of the reps. Halfway through, as I was running down the hill and feeling tired, I looked up and watched a white feather floating in the sky. It landed next to me and I picked it up, placing it in my cap. As I completed the final rep I decided to offer the feather to the Wishing Tree at 12th Street Beach. 
 

Crows and Smiles

I woke at 3:30am and walked to the Wishing Tree to watch the sunrise. 

On the walk home I took the usual route through the marina. As I turned to walk east, entering the pedestrian alley, crows barked. They shadowed me the length of the alley. Three crows worked in tandem, circling, veering, descending. When I left the alley they perched on a building and barked some more.
 

This evening I walked the lakefront path at Burnham Harbor. 

Three women paused at an intersection, turned their faces toward me, and began walking in my direction. I moved to the edge of the path and as we passed they focused their attention on me. One of the women flashed a bright smile and spoke to me. I told her she was great.

When I was given my name, I began to notice, and be affected by, people's smiles. Radiant, a blessing.

Follow the Moon

My body is disintegrating into mesh infused with light. 

Today I ran to the Wishing Tree. The sparrow had returned, I bowed and approached the tree, the bird hopping next to me. 

This evening I walked to Burnham Harbor and sat on a log shaded by three trees. I faced south, a nearby lamppost glowing yellow. I was relaxed as the sun set, watching people pass on the lakefront trail. 

A friendly presence approached and a young man stood before me. I smiled and he asked if he could sit with me. I moved to the edge of the log, but he sat on the grass to my left. He asked my name and said his was Kyle, a twenty five year old mill worker from Indiana. 

"Iron or flour?" I asked. 

He laughed, "I'm going to a secret Harry Potter party tonight." 

Kyle pulled a red vajra made of wood from his pack.

"I made this for the party." 

"It will protect you and attract women." 

"Haha, right!" 

He told me of his wanderings through Oregon and Washington, and about his ex-fiance who cheated on him.

As abruptly as he came he departed. He started down the hill toward the lake.

"Have a good time at the secret party tonight, Kyle." 

"Thanks, Francis." 

He turned to face me. "If you were me, which way would you go?" 

I looked left, then right. "Follow the Moon."  

He paused, turned left, then stopped. "I like that." He turned to his right, eyes on the moon rising above the city, and started walking. 

 

Forty years

Yesterday at sunset I walked to Northerly Island and ran the hill. 

I imagined running Blackwell Hill forty years ago. 

At the top of the hill a young woman, dressed in black, danced to silent music. 

This morning I woke at 3:30am and meditated forty minutes. 

At sunrise I walked to the Wishing Tree and made an offering. When I dropped the rice beneath the tree I saw coins and tiny purple flowers inside the sunflower ring. 

When I returned home I ate rice, beans, eggs, and spinach. 

Napped.

In the afternoon I walked to the track and did the exercise circuit.

Sparrow

This morning I purchased avocados, mango, eggs, beans, rice. 

I walked to the Wishing Tree and was pleased to find the sunflower ring present and radiant. 

As I stood a short distance from the tree, facing east, a sparrow approached. It was here for the rice. I nodded, walked to the tree, and made my offering. A few moments later the sparrow was eating breakfast beneath the Wishing Tree.

I ran to the track and did the exercise circuit. 

Rain

I stepped out tonight and was met with rain. The normally busy walkways were empty. 

When I entered the marina, yellow bulbs strung in trees glared from the wet sidewalk, and I imagined Chiang Mai, 2012. It was the end of my three month stay and near dusk a storm crept into the city. I ran to the Pharmacy Gardens, going west, the road shimmering with steam and golden drops of rain.

A pot of rice cooks on the stove and the rain has stopped. 

This afternoon I walked to Northerly Island and then ran the hill. A young couple were relaxing at the top and the man gave a smile as I passed. 

After the run I sat beneath the Jewel Tree at 12th Street Beach and rested on a boulder, my feet dipping into the lake.
 

Sunflowers

Yesterday morning I did the exercise circuit at the track. 

At Lakeshore East Park I gazed at flowers and purple petals appeared at my feet. 

I placed the petals into the offering bag and when I approached the Wishing Tree I was surprised to see shining sunflowers thoughtfully placed, petals and rice harmonizing with the yellow and green heads.  

Today I will run at Northerly Island.

Try...Don't Try

Evening. Pot of rice cooking. Sounds of traffic.  I try to relax, reading Path of the Bodhisattva.  

Did the exercise circuit at the track. Not many people out.

I reminisce about SE Asia. 

I was close to home, approaching the stairs which lead to my home. I want to go down, along the river and through the park. Children appear on the steps, three abreast, going up. I turn around and follow, relaxed, smiling.