From Rev. Heng Sure To Trupti And Swara

Few of us were copied on this note from Trupti to Rev. Heng Sure ...

Dear Family,

Its been five days of coming to this home. Part of me is feeling strange as we are not hoping from one home to another and part of me is feeling uncomfortable being in this home which gives the sense of permanence. Slowly I am orienting myself with this part of the world.

I am writing this email to share my special gratitude to all of you for introducing us to bowing. Last kilometer a few friends from the community joined us for three steps and a bow. The intention was to share our merits, gratitude and maitri to all the visible and invisible sources that enabled our journey.

Personally it was one of the most profound bowing experience for me. Ritesh led us through a road which had less traffic. Bhumika di reached before us to find the perfect spot for us to bow. Jaimit and Siddharth decided to come to Bharuch early morning when they came to know that we were planning to bow and went straight to office. While we were bowing Bhumika di made sure that we stay hydrated while making sure we are not hit by any fast moving cars or bike. Later she said that it was so amazing to see bikers slowing down and moving swiftly besides us when hey saw us bowing. A bunch of children and families staying on the street watched us silently as if silently supporting our last few steps.

Many stories came alive from Highway Dharma letters that we had read during our walk and felt so much reverence for Rev. Heng Sure. When little concrete particles were getting pressed against my knees I kept wondering how did they bow for three long years. My mind said, oh it's just one kilometer ... thank god and another voice said what if it was for a life time? :) And the little ant passing made me smile wide. There wasn't a single day when we did not think of all of you, service space, Arun dada and so many from our eco-system. I feel so much gratitude for things that we even don know.

With lots of love

Trupti

And Rev. Heng Sure wrote back with this bit of wisdom ...

Dear Trupti and Swara,

I rejoice along with everybody else whom your journey touched. Reintegrating into the "normal" world can be challenging, as you have, no doubt, discovered by now. You will never be "normal" in the old way again, which may be a blessing in disguise. You can never go home again, once the pilgrim soul has smelled the breeze and felt the road.

So welcome to small fraternity/sorority of bittersweet, soulful wanderers who have experienced the limitations of the body and the launching pad of the soul, which has no fixed address.

The significance of the stories you have absorbed will be surfacing for the next year or so - - please be compassionate and write them down, even in outline form, don't forget to include physical details: heat, sharp pebbles, hunger overcome, cloud and sky colors, expressions, birds and dogs, so that you can share these stories with all comers years from now. Master Hua said, "When your daily experiences illustrate the principles of the sutra, that's when it will count."

Peace and joy,

Heng Sure