Gene and Matt, Nikon Coolpix 4500
Matt’s dear childhood friend Gene left yesterday to ordain as a Buddhist monk in Thailand. We don’t know how long he’ll be gone, maybe months, maybe years, but we know he will return transformed.
Gene has spent the last year cleaning up shop. He sold and gave away all of his posessions, traveled the world visiting family and friends, and just generally prepared himself for this enormous committment. In his last week here, he walked around town with a wad of 20’s in his pocket, giving away money on the street and tipping waiters so much that their eyes bulged.
At his going away party, Matt ceremoniously shaved his head while Gene held a mango in his hand. He told us that the Buddha said, “The only way to know what a mango tastes like is to take a bite.”
And so he will. And we wish him the biggest blessings.
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It’s so nice to come back online after a move to a new town, lots of troubles and the pressure to adjust…and to read this entry. Good Karma 🙂
Wow – what an amazing journey Gene is embarking upon! It is so nice to hear about things of a spiritual nature in our western world of excess and commercialism.
I also want to say how much I enjoy this journal and how amazing the internet is in connecting people who would never normally become connected. I love your photographs and look forward to the various journal entries and links – Michelle/Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
What an amazing journey Matt’s friend, Gene, is embarking on. I marvel at his inner strength, to be making such an enormous spiritual commitment. It is so wonderful to hear about a person who has the courage of his or her convictions. I wish your friend well. Thank you for sharing yet another inspiring story with all of us. I love the photo too!!
And also, today, January 24th, is Gene’s 32nd birthday.
He has email access in Thailand (at least for a little while) and so if anyone among Andrea’s community is inclined to send him a birthday wish, or a blessing as he embarks upon this journey, I’m sure he’d love to hear from you.
Even if you don’t know him!
His email is: mymonkgene@yahoo.com.
Many blessings.
I love reading your diary, it reminds me of the wonderful things in life, makes me smile on dreary days.
You have opened my eyes to some amazing projects online like photo friday, what other projects are you involved in online and which would you recommend?
Keep smiling,
Hazelx
WOW!!! What a surprise.
I’m sitting here in Bangkok International Airport waiting for my morning flight to Ubon. I’m here at the post office that is luckily open 24/7 and has internet service. I’m talking with two very nice Thai friends, Ying and Withool, who are very surprised that I have come all this way to become a monk. Withool is saying right now that he doesn’t think I’ll be a monk forever, I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
I want to thank Andrea and Matt very much for surprising me with this journal thing. It’s 4 in the morning and being so far from home on my Birthday can make a brother feel pretty lonely, but seeing this has totally made my day. It’s amazing how close and loved you can feel even though your thousands of miles away.
I’ll try to keep you all posted as this adventure unfolds. Thanks for all the support and good wishes. There is no way I could have done this without you all.
Much Metta
To Gene… Karma has brought you so far… it is up to you to make the rest of the journey… metta…