From the Shores of the Ottawa River

 For three years, I had the privilege of teaching meditation at a Buddhist temple in Dunrobin. When our group prepared for a journey to Thailand, I knew I couldn’t join them. I chose not to dwell on disappointment. I embraced the principle of non-attachment. I simply asked the Abbot to bring me back a Buddha statue. I did this without expectation and without clinging.

Upon his return, he called my husband and asked him to pick up a gift for me. I had envisioned something small, perhaps a simple token of remembrance. But when I saw it—a large, radiant brass Buddha—I was overcome with gratitude. It reminded me of a profound truth. When we let go of grasping, life unfolds in ways greater than we could ever expect.

Now, this Buddha sits in my home, not just as an object of beauty but as a teacher. It reminds me to be attentive. I recognize that all things arise and pass away. True peace comes from surrendering attachment to outcomes. It also reaffirms the power of generosity. Giving with a pure heart creates ripples far beyond the giver or receiver.

This experience is one I return to often in my practice. It serves as a quiet lesson in impermanence and gratitude. It also reflects the boundless nature of the Dharma. At the time I also would take one of the monks to pay his bills. One day, I was running late to pick up my son. I ran into a mother in the hall. I said I was in a rush and had to take the monk back to the temple. She said let me see and before I could reply she followed me to the car. When I opened the back door, she was surprised to see a monk there. She apologized and said she thought I meant a Buddha. We still laugh about this.