for these first spring days
digital collage, march 19, 2011

dear friends, let us welcome spring!! as we gather at the teahouse, let us hold the people and other sentient beings of japan in our hearts... together, let us sip cups of fragrant sencha tea and listen to the words of the poet...

~
First days of spring -- the sky
is bright blue, the sun huge and warm.
Everything's turning green.
Carrying my monk's bowl, I walk to the village
to beg for my daily meal.
The children spot me at the temple gate
and happily crowd around,
dragging to my arms till I stop.
I put my bowl on a white rock,
hang my bag on a branch.
First we braid grasses and play tug-of-war,
then we take turns singing and keeping a kick-ball in the air:
I kick the ball and they sing, they kick and I sing.
Time is forgotten, the hours fly.
People passing by point at me and laugh:
"Why are you acting like such a fool?"
I nod my head and don't answer.
I could say something, but why?
Do you want to know what's in my heart?
From the beginning of time: just this! just this!

by ryokan (1758 - 1831)
~

resources for the journey

a flickr friend in japan told me that it will help if we buy products made in japan. this origami paper is a small thing, but it was bought with love. the most important way to help is to donate to the relief efforts... if you live in the u.s., and would like to help with the relief efforts in japan, you can donate to the red cross in several quick, secure ways:

~directly through the red cross website

~through amazon.com ~ american red cross: japan earthquake and pacific tsunami

~with your mobile phone by texting "redcross" to 90999 (this maybe for u.s. residents only)

in the u.k., you can donate through the british red cross (thanks caroline for this link).

and remembering tea and friends

a brief history of takatori ware, by andrew maske
mrasowhisk by zentea, on flickr
on this first spring day, on flickr

love to you, dear friends!!
may all beings be safe*
jeanne