Beauty in Simplicity

Someone in the neighborhood had gotten two giant speakers.  They were on the rooftop next to the temple at full range--funny to meditate to blasting rock-n-roll first thing in the morning.  Asked an orange-robed man about their service program. Yes, it too is available.  Homework when I get back.  Both places exist in San Francisco.

The man from under the tree.

Special day to remember the "poor."  The line of cars and people streaming into Mother Teresa with donations was awesome:  bags of new/used clothing, sacks of rice/sugar, containers of oil, bags of crackers/cookies and more.  What they cannot use, they give to the poor outside the boundary wall.  Interesting to learn that Mother Teresa started the core unit in 1950 with 5 rp in her hands.  It has grown fast in a short amount of time. The organization is based on donation and they are not trying to make a profit like a business--the work is to give back and serve. One of the Sisters in Jaipur is #157 and worked with Mother Teresa in Calcutta.  She wants me to read the Old and New Bible, so that I can understand how animals are not as important as humans.  In all fairness, she has offered many beautiful stories and teachings which I truly appreciate.

Nice bench area facing the garden

Enjoying the sun while hanging out with the group.  Sitting with the beauty of simplicity.  I have always lived as a minimalist, but this idea is a step farther and not often examined when coming from a family with money.  What is the difference between poverty and renunciation?  Is it the choice?  What do we really need at the end of the day?  Do these things satisfy us--or only momentarily?

While driving home, there was the almost naked man sitting under a stop light, the man with no legs sitting on a small 4 -wheeled trolley pushing himself down the street with his bedroll, the families living on the side of the road, the two elephants standing outside an entrance to a celebration, on and on.

The Mother Teresa House has the cleanest toilet I have experienced, since being in India from the very first day.  It was a relief not to need a strategy for what not to touch while using the bathroom--even soap in the soap dish.  While traveling, it was a remarkable experience in itself using the public restrooms.  Our bodies really must have a lot of resilience for disease even though I can see how third world countries foster diseases at a high level.  Even when the facilities are in place, the culture appears to not grasp how to  keep them clean.  I can understand how Gandhi had his work cut out for him while trying to improve sanitation in India.