First day in our annual meditation and camping trip. Amy got up at 6am to pitch her tent. She was ready to go like a child on Christmas morning. The rest of us all slept in till 8am. She woke us up and suggested that maybe we could all get up and do something. So we all got up. Everyone agreed that if there wasn't extra padding and blankets, we would have been very cold. I later learned that I accidentally took Loc's padding and Elaine's extra sleeping bag was Loc's. Oops. He found out the cold way that it is cold at night. Really sorry Loc!
We made it down to 1/2 Can where the kitchen and dinning hall was. I decided we want porridge. So I made porridge with last night's left over rice. It was so yummy. Then we had to start on lunch and the stove went out for half an hour so we were behind on lunch schedule. Lunch was a hit and only a bowl of Korean soba noodles were left over. It has taken years to figure out the quantity of food served here and no left overs is a good management of resources.
Here is Loc, retreat organizer year after year pumping air into 20+ pool beds incase people did not bring padding to sleep on. He can't seem to retire because no one is as experienced as he is and is round the clock joyful to be of service and has answers to everything and solves all problem without a whine or even a tensing of his eyebrows. At no point not even a slightest split second does he ever make you feel unwelcomed or inferior in any way. Oh, yeah, he also gets no sleep and is often the last one to eat and just eat whatever is left and no complaints.
After lunch we went up to pitch our tents. I set up my tent next to Laura and Elaine's. I had to move mine around until it was the right way for the right angle of slop and with the right lumps at the right place when I lay down. It's not hard, it just takes time to get it to personalize it just right. It's really much easier to get it all right when you first set it up then later after many adjustments and redoing of things. Laura and Elaine found a way to help me put up my bug net to set up a place to meditate and sit to chill and avoid getting bit as much as possible. I like to sit outdoors but the mosquito, it's keeps me moving on my feet. This way I can just enjoy nature. I set up a place for early morning tea. I like to roll out of bed and make tea and slowly wake up this way. When I wake up early I get to just sit and listen to the birds sing and the leaves fall. The leaves falling here sounds like raindrops and wind chimes. It's beautiful.
The trip so far has been about generosity and kindness and support, helping each other out. It's nice that there was no fighting and drama. By the time we had everything all set up and laid out just right, it was time to prepare dinner. So much for the nap we were gonna take. There was another 50 people who would be coming tonight and it's nice to have dinner ready so they can just feel at home. Dinner was BBQ kabobs, coconut rice, salad, soup. We didn't finish till 7:30pm. People were patient in waiting. Then entire group of 50 rolled in a little before 8pm. Everyone was too tired after dinner to pitch up tents so they all slept in tents that were pre-set up and crammed for the night. Whoever came up with that idea, brilliant!
I am always exhausted here, not enough sleep, not enough time alone but every moment is spent in worthy priceless joy from the heart. So, I can sleep when I get home, I can be alone when I get home, I can be fully rested when I get home. I have the rest of the year to do that. This is special, so I'll use all that I've got to be here and enjoy every moment of it.
