Just this past week, I reached a life goal, of being in the presence of his holiness the Dalia Lama. Long ago, I had well, given up on this goal, thinking the chances of someone on my path having that opportunity was rather unlikely. One day this past summer, Puck said to me, "hey the Dalia Lama is going to be in Vancouver, we should get you there." I briefly looked in to it and again decided it just wasn't going to work. However, it clearly was meant to happen, as the event came on to my radar again, and this time I followed threw and bought a ticket.

The panel discussions I attended, were a part of the Vancouver Peace Summit and the conversation topic was Educating the Heart. I must admit it took me sometime to get over the fact, that the real live Dalai Lama was sitting on the stage. Once I did, and I heard what was being said by the brilliant minds before me, other things crept in to my knowing.



Most of this is rather random in order and some what mirrors the mind whirling that actually took place for me in this 2.5 hours where I sat at the edge of my seat!

First off, the only obstacle in the way of me meeting my life goal had been me. Now, I see life through revised eyes and have taken a look at the other goals I have placed in the "can't" or "won't happen this time around" pile. It is like a reawakening, a reminder that heck, I can do and experience each of the treasures I want to in my lifetime.

I was most impressed by the Dalai Lama's humanness. His ability to laugh, shrug, listen and answer. There was nothing elitist or condescending about a single world out of his mouth. He used the line, "I don't know," more then once, which to me takes great courage and self knowing. He recognized that in his time here, he could not know all and was willing to share what he knew with those coming up, as he was heading out (in a life and age kind of way). I actually would extend this to most of the members on the panel. There was an essence that this was an on going conversation, a sharing of ideas with no one idea holding power over another, it was refreshing.



Another spark that was ignited with in me, was the one, where compassion become both an intention and an everyday act. This reminder has created a space in my life where acts of compassion can exists and where I can witness them in others. The energy in my own home has settled a little. I have seen my boys differently as they embrace the possibility in each moment. I suspect this existed long before I attended this talk however, I wasn't actually seeing it.

And a final thought, before this becomes too long. The idea that true creativity is often present in the face of adversity when moving forward is only possible where out of the box thinking exists, transcended me to a place where I am willing to kick off the covers of comfort I have so willingly existed under. I am looking to push my own bounds to step closer to the dreams that have lay dormant with in for reason that quite likely never were my own.