My friend Kusala, a Buddhist monk in Koreatown here in Los Angeles who I discovered through his Urban Dharma podcasts, wrote about a road trip he took a while back on his motorcycle, and the lessons he learned. We’re working on turning his story into a book; it’s a pleasure to “have to” immerse myself in his approach toward life and the choices he’s made, which I think we can learn from whether or not you’re taking a long trip or whether or not you’re a Buddhist.
And that’s why I’m sharing this with you here, so you don’t have to wait for the opus:
http://www.urbandharma.org/kusala/revkus/rtn.html
Excerpt:
“I was expanding my comfort zone to include all things new. I had unlocked my jail cell in a way… Escaped from the prison of… “How It Should Be”… And found the place of… “How It Is”… I found myself thinking… Can I deal with all the stuff this journey is about to throw at me???… Do I have the personal resources to meet each new challenge and win or lose, learn something about myself??? Will I have the courage to travel until I’m tired… Letting the day tell me when to stop, and when to go… And not my watch?
The discomfort I felt on the road… Was my first real sign of freedom.
Once I was on the road, it took a couple of hundred miles for the feelings of loss and fear to subside… To come to that place of… ‘The Traveler’… Where home… Is the place you hang your helmet… And any bed, becomes your bed… It’s back to basics… Food, clothing, shelter, and medicine.
Each day was so different… But the start and Finish of each day turned out to be pretty much the same.”
