In the late 17th Century, the Burmese army attacked the then country of Siam and its Buddhist population. Knowing in advance of their attack the fate of one of their most prized possessions, they knew they had to do something. They needed to hide a solid gold Buddha statue. The monks covered it in layers and layers of clay. And while the monks did not survive the attack, the unextraordinary-looking Buddha did.
Go now to the mid-1950s when the 5-ton statue was going to be moved to a new location. Underestimating the weight of the Buddha, a crane could not carry it and the statue began to crack. While waiting for another crane, a monk discovered a hole that shimmered from the gold. As he chiseled at the clay, the solid gold Buddha once more saw the light of day.
So ask yourself, is there a Golden Buddha within you waiting to see the light?
For me it is my book and blog. It feels so good to put my thoughts and research out for others to read and enjoy. During the pandemic, when life was a bit gloomy, I found purpose in my writing.
What about you? Are you ready to try a new career? Go back to school? Write a book? Maybe you’re feeling good about life and merely want to try a new hobby to spice things up.
I took a series of classes online through Coursera and became certified by the University of Minnesota’s Department in Integrated Health Medicine. It was an interesting set of five courses and I could do them at my own pace and right from home so it was very doable. It feels good to add to my knowledge and credentials even if I am retired. (The courses were very reasonably priced by the way, and many of Coursera’s classes are free. Check it out.)
As my publisher, Mary Helen Conroy, partially quotes Helen Keller, “life is a daring adventure” and Mary Helen adds, “And you’re not done yet.” The slogan motivates her – and the many people she touches-to be curious and see what adventures you can have. “It gives me courage to inspire others to have daring adventures, too,” Mary Helen said.
So what is going to light your flame this fall? Find the spark that lights up your golden Buddha, especially when facing life challenges.