reflecting this afternoon...

... on loss and remembrance ...














altar: journey
railroad tie, unfired porcelain vessel, tea, rain
west shore unitarian universalist church garden
rocky river, ohio
may - june 2004

a reading from the japanese haiku master basho (1644-1694)

the temple bell stops
but the sound keeps coming
out of the flowers

resources for the journey

reverend kathleen ellis, "just peace"
thich nhat hanh, creating true peace: ending violence in yourself, your family, your community, and the world
makoto ueda, "basho's life"
west shore unitarian universalist church

and remembering tea...

a reading from the venerable thich nhat hanh

years ago in vietnam, people used to take a small boat out into a lotus pond and put some tea leaves into an open lotus flower. the flower would close in the evening and perfume the tea during the night. in the early morning, when the dew was still on the leaves, you would return with your friends to collect the tea. on your boat was everything you needed: fresh water, a stove to heat it, teacups, and a teapot. then, in the beautiful light of the morning, you prepared the tea right there, enjoying the whole morning, drinking tea on the lotus pond.

from creating true peace: ending violence in yourself, your family, your community, and the world, quoted in "just peace" by reverend kathleen ellis.

may peace be with you,
jeanne