Remarkable Day

This was a rather remarkable day. First, it was the third day of sesshin, and at the morning service I gave my first dharma talk, or at least my first prime-time Sunday-morning, full-sangha dharma talk. I didn't know that I was going to be giving the talk when I walked into the zendo that morning, but the senior teacher asked me if I wouldn't mind saying a few things this morning, say, oh, between 10 and 11 o'clock? Sure, I replied, and a few hours later, was addressing the sangha.

But earlier, during the sitting period, L. came in. I was attending at the time, so I didn't have the chance to say "Hi" or otherwise acknowledge her presence. But she came in, sat down, and I thought that she would be there for my first talk. However, as we prepared for the talk after the sitting, she apparently slipped out, as she wasn't in attendance when my talk began.

I was disappointed. First, I thought that she might have either been angry with me, and left rather than sit through my talk, or possibly that she thought that I was mad at her, and didn't want to make me lose my focus during the talk. After all, we hadn't spoken since October, and I had no way of knowing what was on her mind or in her heart. Also, I had been thinking that it might have been nice to get a cup of coffee with her, and catch up and see how things were going.

So after the service, the meal and the clean-up, I called her on her cell. She didn't answer, but I left a message saying that I was surprised that she had left, and wasn't sure why, and why don't we get together for coffee and talk? She called me back about an hour later (while I was out grocery shopping) and explained that she hadn't meant to slight me, but that she had brunch plans with some friends, so she left before my talk began rather than having to walk out in the middle of it. And as for coffee, sure, that sounded great - where do I want to meet?

Well, I had been thinking coffee about an hour earlier, but what the hell?, let's meet right now in Virginia Highlands. The groceries could wait in the car. So, we met and talked and talked, and she caught me up on all the things that had been going on in her life, and vice-versa.

It was good to see her. After the coffee, we talked some more, and eventually dropped the groceries off at my house, and even wound up going out to dinner (lots of catching up to do).

So, when I woke up this morning, I had no idea that I would be giving my first dharma talk, no idea that I would be meeting L. for coffee, no idea that we would be having dinner together.

A rather remarkable day.