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June 08, 2004

I'm home!

...and I'm tired. The trip was wonderful. I have lots of photos and stories, but they will have to wait till my mind and body are rested. One thing I did come away with that I will share is a sense that we need to expand our horizons, as humans. I thought the drive to my house from the highway was beautiful, with bowers of trees and a little pond with ducks. Then I saw Trees and Lakes and Rivers and such, and realized how much more there is out there than in my own back yard.

Then I came home, and also realized the beauty of being there as well. Both experiences are important. With that, I will leave you with something from one of my email lists I got among the 400 emails I had waiting for me when I got back. It says what I really mean:


Beauty

The wanderer Bhaggava accused the Buddha of saying that the universe was caused merely by chance. The Buddha replied:

"I have heard others of your sect, Bhaggava, say that when I awoke and found the truth, which was beautiful, I remained in that bliss and then regarded the universe as ugly and meaningless in comparison.

"But I never taught that, Bhaggava. This is what I do say: 'Whenever one awakes and finds the beautiful, then one knows indeed what beauty is.'"

-Majjhima Nikaya
From "Buddha Speaks," edited by Anne Bancroft, 2000. Reprinted by arrangement with Shambhala Publications, Boston, www.shambhala.com.




I indeed found the beautiful on this trip, and I am grateful.

Life, Spirituality, Travel 07:38 PM | Permalink

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Comments

I like that. Welcome back!

Posted by: Leslee at Jun 9, 2004 9:32:11 AM

Yeah, welcome back, Alicia!
My husband & I loved Missouri when we drove through it in the spring about 7 years ago. It was a great discovery for us. Doesn't it seem like a perfect place for a writer to live?

Posted by: Nasreena at Jun 9, 2004 5:13:46 PM

Happy you had a great trip and a safe "visual" journey back. :)

Posted by: Ali at Jun 10, 2004 9:17:06 AM