I am currently visiting Britain. I spent Christmas with dear friends near London, my birthday with my daughter and grand-daughter, and am visiting the Amida Mandala Temple in Malvern which is splendidly situated with a panoramic view across the vale of Evesham, the great fruit growing basin of central England. Travelling with me is Tara the cat, equipped with her own passport. In her eight months she has had a great many adventures and this is the latest. Here at the temple she has explored every crevice, excavated the potted plants, charmed all and sundry and met the temple cats and rabbits.
The Malvern Hills are picturesque, a steep ridge rising abruptly from the plain, mostly covered with bracken and heather with here and there a copse of trees. I decided to take Tara for a walk. Taking a cat for a walk is less easy than a dog. Here movements are more erratic and she only obeys commands when they suit her. Also one has to pick an area where encounters with dogs are least likely. This often means rougher terrain. We found a steep path through trees. She prefers the wooded areas as they give more cover, but it makes for additional difficulties as there is much more for her lead to get tangled in. We gradually made our way up. She particularly enjoyed places where timber had been felled making hiding hole beneath. We reached a fair height and she was getting tired, needing to be carried over the wilder patches. Then we found a narrow descending track. It was rather slippery with melted frost. Tara was somewhat reluctant and dawdled behind. Then suddenly having a change of heart dashed past me down the hill. Taken unawares I slipped. My fotting lost I tumbled at an angle and felt my knee twist in a manner it was not designed for. I lay upon the sward in pain for some time wondering if I could stand. One feels the stages of the body mobilising its defences and reparative response. Eventually I got to my feet and together we inched down the hill. It took a good while to get back to the temple.
Now I am laying in bed nursing my sprain. Hopefully it will feel better in the morning. I don't think anything is torn or broken so am hopeful of natural restoration.
Replies
Dear Dharmavidya
I'm sorry to hear about your sprain & hope you recover very quickly.
Namo Amida Bu
Sending you much love
Jayata
Have to see how it goes. I am supposed to be in Oxford Monday for a meeting. We shall see. As in the other discussion - the future is hard to see. Thanks, Mat. You are a treasure.
This morning I am confined to bed, leg non-functional, calm if I remain quite still but otherwise sharply painful, difficult even getting to the loo. Must give Nature time to do her healing work. A time for reading, contemplation, communion with the cat and many nembutsu.
Oh dear!
Take care
Gayre
Thanks, Mat. Yes, I hope it will feel better tomorrow. Pretty sore and non-functional right now. Life is full of surprises.
Thank you Adam - and for looking after me. Namo Amida Bu.
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