After the pouring of blessed sands into the Mississippi River, the Tibetan monks, with Thay and members of the Tam Bao Temple, spent some time taking group shots. A few of the monks stepped aside to take a photo with the bridge in the background, and I stepped near asking if I could take their picture, too. They graciously agreed, and I took a couple quick ones when surprisingly I see a big smile and peace sign from one of them. I felt so much joy at that moment, and of course my photographer voice inside my head kept telling me to get it right despite my excitement.
I'm thrilled with this image, after cropping out much space to the left and bottom of the frame, because I feel like I know him in that moment. Sincerity, kindness, joy, happiness, connection, love. It's hard to look at him and not smile.
I printed out the photo and took it back to him in the evening 'Buddha Birthday Celebration' at the temple. At first I gave a set of photos from the sand pouring to Lobsang, a monk who had escaped Tibet at the age of 10 with his family. Then later on I had an opportunity to give it to him myself as he sat with other monks in the rear of the building. He smiled as he held it, and I hoped that the image and gesture spoke to him of my appreciation for what he gives to the world.
Another chance to reconnect and find out his name came right before we left. I asked him kindly and he said, "Karma". He spelled it for me when I asked, I shared mine, and then we shared an embrace. Always in that will be appreciation and some unspoken understanding of kindness and oneness in my heart and mind. A blessing of the best kind.
Thank you, dear Karma.
ཐུགས་རྗེ་ཆེ་།
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