Tourist in a home-town
At the end of this morning I took my laptop and went to the library in the centre of Den Bosch. I have known Den Bosch for many years but I have never been in this library before. The monastery where I stay is at five minutes distance from the library. The short walk to the library is lovely. Den Bosch is a very pretty city. The view in the street on my route to the library is beautiful. I feel like a tourist in the city I know. I am looking around and making pictures like someone on a holiday. The whole day feels a bit like a 'holy day.' The sun is shining, the city pretty, the trees bright and light green, the blossoms affluent. I stroll to the library, find a nice spot in the big study hall of the library and open my laptop.
Through the window I can see the St. Jan Cathedral again. I work for a couple of hours on a new translation. Then I go to the market to buy some vegetables and collect my last shopping at the supermarket. I spent the second half of the afternoon cooking for the women of my temporary community. We spent a nice time during dinner together. We enjoyed the dinner and we had a nice conversation.
Generous
There is a possibility that I can be operated soon. On Friday I hope to hear a date for my operation. When it is really before mid-May as they have said to me when I was in hospital last Wednesday, I will not return to Eleusis before my operation. I will be away from Eleusis for quite a while then. And I have to arrange all kind of things in a couple of weeks.
Tonight during dinner the community here decided unanimously in a few minutes that I can stay here a couple of weeks extra if necessary. That is really wonderful and generous. After my operation I hope to stay in a rehabilitation hotel for a couple of weeks before I can return to Eleusis.
view on the community garden
But still all of this is hypothetical. I have to be patient until I have heard a date and even then I will only know when I will be operated when I am really lying in the hospital bed. After two postponements of my operation...
Home Sangha
I feel grateful and light today. Grateful that I can spend my time in such a nice environment in the heart of Den Bosch and this lovely community. Grateful that I can spend my time reading, and translating and the oher nice things the days are giving to me.
Tomorrow morning I will go to a zen lesson in my home-sangha in Den Bosch. I am looking forward to this too. Recently, the theme of the lessons has been... Dogen... Well that is quite convenient. Somehow I have this expectation that, although I missed a lot of the lessons in Zen Centrum Den Bosh, I will connect with the lesson quite easily.
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