Dear Andrew,
Last week I went to a ceremony for the brother of one of my coworkers, Daen - Daen's brother was becoming a Buddhist monk. This means that he is going to stay at one of their local temples for a minimum of three months. If he wants to, he can choose to stay longer. He will wake up early in the mornings to go into the villages to beg for his food. He will do chores, meditate, pray, learn at the temple. He will live a very simple life for this period of time. He is 38-years-old and has 2 teenage children. Thai men can choose to become a monk whenever they want and it's something that makes Thai families so happy and so proud.
We started the day going to Daen's house where she had tons and tons of food and family over. We hung out, took lots of pictures with Daen's brother and family. Daen's brother was wearing all white. Daen and her family stuffed us with tons of delicious food - noodles and mango and fruit and coconut dessert. Then when everything was ready, we got into cars, Daen's brother into the back of a truck with much pomp and circumstance, to go to the temple. Once we got to the temple, we processed 3 times around the temple with Daen's brother on the back of one of the men. We all went barefoot and the bottom of our feet were burning (for Jess, her skin literally burnt off and she got blisters). Then we went up the temple steps. Everyone waited outside the temple doors, while Daen's brother and another man who was also becoming a monk went inside to be initiated by the temple monks. After saying some prayers, Daen's brother was given the orange monk's robes, changed, and came out. The ceremony ended with us making offerings of money to the 2 new monks, in their alms bowls.
I really enjoyed and appreciated being there for the ceremony. And Andrew, I thought of that text you sent me years ago: "Maybe I should become a monk." It was a really random text and kind of makes me laugh now, but at the time I was very dismissive, which I regret. I wish I had been a more accepting person then. At the time, I was like, what are you talking about??
Last week I went to a ceremony for the brother of one of my coworkers, Daen - Daen's brother was becoming a Buddhist monk. This means that he is going to stay at one of their local temples for a minimum of three months. If he wants to, he can choose to stay longer. He will wake up early in the mornings to go into the villages to beg for his food. He will do chores, meditate, pray, learn at the temple. He will live a very simple life for this period of time. He is 38-years-old and has 2 teenage children. Thai men can choose to become a monk whenever they want and it's something that makes Thai families so happy and so proud.
We started the day going to Daen's house where she had tons and tons of food and family over. We hung out, took lots of pictures with Daen's brother and family. Daen's brother was wearing all white. Daen and her family stuffed us with tons of delicious food - noodles and mango and fruit and coconut dessert. Then when everything was ready, we got into cars, Daen's brother into the back of a truck with much pomp and circumstance, to go to the temple. Once we got to the temple, we processed 3 times around the temple with Daen's brother on the back of one of the men. We all went barefoot and the bottom of our feet were burning (for Jess, her skin literally burnt off and she got blisters). Then we went up the temple steps. Everyone waited outside the temple doors, while Daen's brother and another man who was also becoming a monk went inside to be initiated by the temple monks. After saying some prayers, Daen's brother was given the orange monk's robes, changed, and came out. The ceremony ended with us making offerings of money to the 2 new monks, in their alms bowls.
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| At Daen's house before the ceremony - Daen's brother in white. |
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| Our coworker Daen in white, Phang a Good Shepherd patient and our neighbor in green. |
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| Walking around the temple 3 times. |
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| In orange, now a monk! |
Well, I just wanted to post this blog to say to you that I've been to a monk ceremony now, and I know more about monks than I did before (at least Buddhist monks in Thailand). Perhaps you do too. Perhaps you went ahead and have become a monk! But now that I know more and now that I am just overall bigger-hearted, I wanted to say to you that I now see that your suggestion was and is completely possible.
Whatever you're doing, know that I support you and love you, in ways that my small heart couldn't before. I was thinking of you the whole day at the monk ceremony. Daen's brother was making this huge life change with faith and love. You made a huge life change with faith and love in your heart, I'm certain.
This weekend, Blanca is graduating from USD. I'm so excited for her. I'm so proud of her. She has accomplished great things in her 4 college years and I know she will be a force to be reckoned with post-grad (as she has always been of course). I know you are proud of her. She knows you are too. I wish I could be there. I wish you could be there. Blanca wishes we could be there. But at the same time, she knows that we 3 are connected no matter where we are. No matter how long it has been since we have physically been together.
You are both still so present in my life, even though I feel so far away sometimes. I am so blessed to have a brother and sister like you two.
I miss you. I love you. I hope you are well.
With love and humility,
Lara
