[Photos 
Max Vollmer, Click on any image to enlarge]
Early Sunday morning walk
YPA PLAY UPDATES
I will post periodic updates on this blog, maxvollmer.com, as the effort to create a play about life at YaPoAh takes shape. Residents who commit to being a part of the project will be members of a Google Group, YPAPLAY, and will be kept informed that way. A still smaller Director’s Committee will make creative decisions.
Santana Brothers – Luz, Amor Y Vida
Light, Love and Life. [Click on Full Screen icon in the lower right corner to best appreciate the video]
The “yapoah players” – save this space
It’s early days, but I have launched an idea for a play to be written, directed, acted, and staged in-house about life at YaPoAh Terrace. A play to feature residents’ personal stories, with humor and heart, like “What brought me to YaPoAh” and “What have I experienced here,” recounted on stage by resident actors. My vision is to have this foster a greater sense of community within a building with 220 apartments for low income seniors. An extension of my idea, brought to the fore by fellow resident Savanah Forster, is to eventually have something that could be shared with the larger Eugene-Springfield community to show what seniors can do. I posted a First Call in the December newsletter, News With A View, for people who are interested in the project to contact me. I’m interviewing the first person to step forward tomorrow, a woman who is a singer-songwriter and pianist. It won’t stop there. Stay tuned.
The Gift Fulfilling Jewel – A Buddhist Parable
I spent this past Sunday with my daughter Yukyo at the Dharma Rain Zen Center in Portland, OR. Yukyo (her given name was Emily) is a resident at Dharma Rain and a student of Soto Zen Buddhism. The monestary was co-founded by Kyogten (Gary) Carlson with his wife Gyokuko Carlson in 1986. Kyogen had this to say about his Buddhist practice: “There is so much to learn and so much to know. It’s good to keep moving forward. And yet, whatever we have is, in a very profound way, absolutely complete and always enough.”
Most Sunday mornings at the Zen Center, following meditation, a Dharma Talk (a lesson or teaching) is given by an experienced member of the community. On this particular day the topic was Seeking Refuge. It began with a parable known as the Gift Fulfilling Jewel.
In this parable, two old friends, one wealthy and one poor, are eating and drinking wine together. The poor man drinks himself into a stupor and falls asleep. Early the next morning, the wealthy one must leave on business. Before he leaves, the wealthy friend sews a priceless jewel inside of the robe of his poor friend, who is still asleep. Later, the wealthy man comes across his friend, who is still living in poverty. He points out to his poor friend that all this time there has been a priceless gem hidden inside his robe and that he did not have to be living in poverty.
This parable shows, in simple terms, the principle that every human is endowed with infinite potential and inestimable worth. It teaches us that the key to overcoming the constraints of our present reality, whatever they may be, lies within ourselves.
[Photos Max Vollmer, Click on any image to enlarge]
Auld Triangle – The Punch Brothers and Marcus Mumford
A traditional Irish tune that appeared in the Coen Brothers’ film, Inside Llewyn Davis. [Click on Full Screen icon in the lower right corner to best appreciate the video]
Freedom
To laugh is to risk appearing a fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out for another is to risk involvement.
To expose feelings is to risk rejection.
To place your dreams before the crowd is to risk ridicule.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To go forward in the face of overwhelming odds is to risk failure.
But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing. The person who risks nothing does nothing, has nothing, is nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love. . . . Only a person who takes risks is free.
– Anonymous
[Photo Max Vollmer, Click on image to enlarge]
Truth
The saying “the truth hurts” is familiar to almost everyone. Yet how many understand that we should welcome having our eyes opened. Pain can open the body and mind to what is before us that we have been unable or unwilling to see. Prejudices die, knowledge grows, wounds are healed, dangers are averted. Facing the reality of things deepens our understanding of ourselves and others. [Photo Max Vollmer, Click on image to enlarge]
Winding Down
My trip by train across Canada was a long time coming, but it more than met my expectations. What stands out above all is the courtesy, kindness. and generous spirit of Canadians at every turn. This has been the longest visit I have had with Karl since he was a kid at home and Karl, having become a Canadian citizen, mirrors the character of his adopted country.
Foregoing a return by train, I’ll get on a flight tomorrow morning and be back home in Eugene tomorrow night. I have had a wonderful time in Nova Scotia, but there is much that awaits me back home. I am looking forward as always to what lies ahead.
Evening at No. 90 Windship Lane, Duncans Cove
Clouds will bring rain tomorrow, but this evening there was a sunset that looked like the interior of the island was on fire, and a full moon rose at virtually the same time across the harbor. For me, this signified balance and harmony. I spotted the moonrise on the horizon because a tour ship passing in front of Karl’s house caught my attention just as a slice of moon appeared over the water to the east. Can you spot it? [All photos Max Vollmer, Click on any image to enlarge]
