By Giun Stefan Streit Sensei
Many or most of you probably know that my wife and I had a baby daughter on April 21st. Her name is Heidi, and we’ve been relishing the opportunity to get to know her and her smile over these past few months. Many of you have asked me how it’s been going, and my first instinct is to say something like, “Well, it depends what moment you’re talking about.” Some moments are adorable or wonderful; some moments are frustrating or exhausting. Each of these moments is real. I am willing to say this much, though: Heidi’s entry into our lives has revealed to me parts of my heart that I didn’t know were there.
That said, the real reason for writing this message is to say, “Thank You!” So many of you, our Dharma family, have given us gifts or sent us cards & emails or brought us food or sent gift certificates… Meave and I have been positively overwhelmed by all the generosity and support this sangha has shown us, in honor of this lil’ child. There have been so many gifts and messages that it has been utterly impossible to thank each of you individually. Please know that we are very grateful!
I wish also to heartily thank Muken Sensei for gracefully and seamlessly assuming the role of temple director during my absence. It has been wonderfully reassuring for me to know that Shobo-ji has been enjoying such good care and guidance while I have been immersing myself in the steep learning curve of early parenthood. In the coming weeks, Muken and I will be discussing how we plan to share the various responsibilities of caring for the temple, going forward.
Moreover, any “vacuum” left by my absence has been more than filled by various sangha members who have stepped up to learn new officer roles and to serve as practice leaders during the past four months – especially during the times when Muken was on the mountain to support events at DBZ. Thank you to those of you who have taken on greater responsibility as stewards of the temple.
I have found it highly gratifying to see the sangha evolve in this way.
Now as I return from paternity leave and we feel the crisp foreshadowing of autumn in the air, attention turns to the events of the fall. Chigan Roshi has kindly agreed to lead a Baby Welcoming ceremony for our daughter in conjunction with Shobo-ji’s 56th Anniversary Weekend Sesshin in September. I look forward to the chance to formally introduce Heidi to the sangha in this way.
In addition to our Anniversary Sesshin, there are several other notable events coming up this autumn. Please see the events listed below and stay tuned for other announcements. Thank you all for your warm and joyful support. I look forward to seeing you again soon.
