I wanted a break. While much needed to be done, I felt tired from the mental lift of work. It was a sunny afternoon so I allowed myself a rare reprieve and left my desk a bit early to walk our neighborhood’s main street.
Because of my timing some daytime stores were still open, including one that sells Tibetan items. I had bought a humble-looking but unbelievably resonant singing bowl at this spot years ago. None of the other ornate looking bowls I’ve encountered since come close to its vibrancy. This relationship with my bowl pulled me into Pema Kharpo where I heard the owner, Rigdzin, speaking with another visitor. Rigdzin sounded humble, vibrant, lighthearted and wise and I got pulled into the conversation towards the end of this dialogue. We exchanged our geographical past and I realized that he had lived all over India including New Delhi, my hometown, for ten years. I switched to Hindi for the rest of our conversation to feel the warmth of the first syllables I ever heard. He gave me a few items, prayed over me like I was family and sent me away with so much love and care that I felt an invisible thread bonding us. So here I am, unexpectedly absorbing practical wisdom from a man who appeared to be an everyday incarnation of the divine.
7,000 miles and 0.7 miles away from home and still right at home. Held, hugged and bolstered.
“The greatest gift we can give to others is our true presence” ― Thich Nhat Hanh
