Saturday, September 22, was the 11th Annual Golden Gate Bridge Walk. When I arrived at Crissy Field at 10:00 a.m., there was an empty field and the dusty, dirty stone bench amphitheater surrounding it. Over the next 90 minutes dozens of folks in the Sangha arrived and transformed that field and amphitheater into a venue of grand celebration.
We put it to good use: African dancing with Jacky, selling and buying a large array of beautiful products made by the Sangha, eating great food, sharing stories of Kantolomba and having a generally fun, joyous time!
When the last raffle ticket had been picked, it was time to say goodbye. Barely a person walked away without helping to transform our celebration back to a large open field and clean, well-swept stone benches, with not a trace of us having been there.
Sometimes practice is a silent retreat at the Monastery, sometimes it is calling into the radio show, and sometimes it is learning that it is possible to be “social” without being personal and coming together to have a raucous good time (not to mention challenging the voice that says “I can’t dance.”)
If you’ve never been with us for the Walk, consider putting it on your calendar for next year: Saturday, October 5 .
Oh, and we raised $95,000 for the Africa Vulnerable Children Project (so far!).
Deep Gasshō to all of you for your participation,
Jen