A sad neighborhood story
Several years ago, a large Tibetan family moved into house a few miles from here, so in our general neighborhood. You would see two kids out by the road, waiting for the school bus in the mornings. and many cars parked there at night.
Every morning, an older woman I'm imagining was a grandmother, or elder, could be seen walking down the street, turning the corner by the old Waldorf school, and heading down another quiet Hadley Street, beneath enormous stately Maples, and come to rest each and every morning on the stump of what had hat one time been a huge tree.
And the whole time she was walking, she would be holding in her hand, and spinning round and round, a colorful Tibetan Prayer Wheel, while chanting and singing .
A Tibetan Prayer Wheel traditionally has prayers and chants written upon many many pieces of paper, that are wound around an axel, and spun, while chanting.
Tibetan Buddhists believe that this invokes the powerful benevolent attention and blessings of Chenrezig, the embodiment of compassion. This spreads compassion and well being.
I watched her, in her colorful clothing , in all seasons, making her walk day after day, and looked up information about the prayer wheel, which seemed such a wise , wonderful walking meditation and prayer.
Tragedy then struck the family, when, one summer, a young family member, who worked at Whole Foods , was swimming in the Connecticut, and drowned.
I heard about the news, was so saddened , watching the driveway fill with so many cars for weeks on end.
I no longer saw the older woman on her walk.
Then, they moved away, putting the house on the market.
Later, someone began living there again, watering all the red rose bushes that had been planted.
My prayers are with them still.
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