July 30th, 2020: A Delightful Conversation

I went to a vegan restaurant located not too far away from the Buddhist Seminary in Calgary. The food is exceptionally good for a Vegan place. I am not a vegan, but any well-prepared food is lovely for me. My client is a vegan (militant one), so I didn't really have a choice. Her mother died a few years ago and this week is the anniversary of her passing, so my friend needed to talk. The owner came out and greeted us because she remembered us. We had a good conversation.

She is going through her education to be a monk after marriage, kids, and a career. She used to work as an accountant before making this significant change in her life. I asked her what have been the main lessons for her during this pandemic time.

The tranquillity of the heart is a gift. The restaurant shut down for more than two months. They didn't get any help from the landlord in terms of her rent reprieve for the restaurant. She said she learned that when her heart is at peace internally, the external circumstances don't appear to be that pressing. We then shared our experiences in meditation and praying.

She then talked about the calamity of life is part of universal suffering. There is no escape for human suffering. We just have to accept and learn not to let it be a deciding factor in how we live our life. We then talked a lot about our understanding of becoming nothing so that we can experience life in its fullness. Buddhism and Christianity have differences in the theology of suffering and emptying oneself. However, we agreed that it could be our gateway to something greater in life if we learn how to acknowledge the lessons we learn during such a time.

Relationship is like air. If we don't have it, we most likely will feel unbalanced. We talked about not being able to see our grandkids, kids, and parents. She is a quiet and kind-hearted woman, so I have no doubts that she has an immense capacity to love and care for others. We agree that the memories and experiences we have from different closed and meaningful relationships in our life are more important than gold.

I am thankful for the conversation. Although we might have different views about life and death, I appreciate God's beauty within her. Learning to love God is learning to embrace his presence everywhere. My client felt better as well as she listened to the conversation. Missing her mother is now a gift to her. 

The vegan lunch was delicious, just in case you like to know. We had Vietnamese Crepe and Bun Bo Hue. She told me to call ahead the next time, and she will prepare something special for me. I am a happy camper.

Mark 8: 36-37

"For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?"