Carrie Link

A MAN OF FAITH

I had the most incredible evening last night. Four of us, two men, two women, went to the top of Council Crest in Portland, and held our own Wesak ceremony. At the top of Council Crest is a circle marked with the directions of north, south, east and west. In the very center is a disk. When standing near that spot, your voice reverberates. Everything you say takes on new import and magnitude.

Mountains Hood, Adams and St. Helens are all in perfect view. All that is right about Portland is laid out before you, in verdant splendor. All the trees are in bloom and piles of pink dogwood blossoms lie everywhere. Huge, old azalea bushes in every shade of red, pink and purple boarder the grounds. It's spectacular.

When we arrived we set up a make-shift alter, right there on the disk. A special cloth, a flower, a small statue of Buddha (Wesak is his birthday celebration). Bikers, runners, walkers, lovers were in and out of our sacred space, talking, snapping into their toe clips, drinking from their water bottles. The minute we settled in and began our celebration with the singing bowl, the crowd vanished. We were left totally alone.

After calling in our guides, the wisdom of the four directions, ancestors and all that is holy and good, we sent our blessings out over the top of the crest, down into the valley, out into the universe.

Three of my favorite people on my left, right, and straight in front. My friend, her husband, and her friend that she's introduced me to, the Reiki Master. I sat in awe of this place on the globe, and my universe within it. Beauty in all directions, mountains, landscape, humanity.

My friend's husband was a Jesuit priest for years, then he met her, and his vocation got tweaked, but not changed. He is still a man of God, if not of the cloth. He is love, pure and simple. As I saw him get into full meditation pose and honor Buddha, the profound healing that Wesak is famous for, flooded my soul.

I love that there are people in the world that hold their own beliefs strongly, yet flexibly.

I love that old can meet new and they can get along.

I love that all good is good.