First cold day of the season and as I started the walk to my friend's home at UIC a driving snow was blitzing the city and for the next four miles I struggled to reach my destination. At the half way point I wanted to turn back, my feet were wet and cold and jacket and hat soaked in white ice. I was walking west, directly into a strong wind. "I'm too old and weak for this...." "Yes, you are, but the Great Protector is not." With that in mind I trudged forward chanting Amitabha Buddha.
The walkways were slick with ice and I was having trouble staying on my feet so when grassy white patches appeared I broke into a running trot because this was the easiest way to stay balanced. Surprisingly my knee was fine, most likely due to the spongy surface of the snowy grass. "Just get to the church, if I can see the statue of the saint I will offer my bag of Ceylon tea." When I reached the saint at St Francis Church I felt like an animated snowman as I pressed the tea cone into the snow at the base of the statue. I wanted to make a picture of the saint but the camera battery had died long before.
Now it is evening, I am back home warm and snug. I will most likely take a walking break this weekend to allow rest for my injured knee.
