Sunday, October 13th, 2013

Last Day At Loon Lake

 

Maple Ridge, British Columbia

 

Walking today entailed pacing back and forth on the veranda of Arbutus Cabin.  As in the past few days, the air is still yet one's breath can be seen, barely though.  These stellar blue jays get up and around during the sunlight.  Feathers are black and blue and what appears like a mohawk hair cut graces the top of their head.  The eye can also catch the occasional woodpecker searching in his tree for bug snacks.  Other than these birds little sign of life pokes around on this horizon which is hard to discern due to the crammed-tree dynamic.  It's actually lovely though.

 

I don't know our altitude.  You couldn't call it the roof of the world but we are situated in a lofty enough post and away from anything man-made.  The natural atmosphere makes good for clearing cobwebs of the mind.  We're on day #3 for discussions, presentations, and retreat.  After breakfast of pancakes, bagels or wraps (your choice) we engage in an impactful chant.  It's great seeing a bunch of guys, some in their sixties, dance a jig.  Cheers to those for putting out such blissful energy.

 

Amongst the men and women present you have all this incredible talent.  The mission is in good hands although every last one of these leaders will admit that being under-staffed in a want for more volunteers is the reality.  The retreat we're having brings upon great moments of truth in the delivery of power-point presentations, some of which become interactive as in a workshop.  Our discussions include succession-planning, organizing kid camps, how to improve our festivals, and pastoral abuse or misconduct.

 

A lively break came when a family from our community in Vancouver presented the playing of Scottish bag-pipes at the outdoor amphitheatre.  The sound resembles the drone of a South Asian shenai horn.  That gave the birds something to go crazy over.

 

For the finale of the day I was given the green light to depart for an annual event, the Rama-Vijay where there has been a burning of the effigy of demon Ravana from the epical story the Ramayan.  Well, that didn't happen this year for some reason or another.  I was to speak to the crowd, in the event's place, to compensate.  Can you imagine?  In my delivery I cracked a few jokes.  I received so little response it became a humbling experience.  In that sense it wasn't all bad.

 

May the Source be with you!

 

10 KM