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Biting the Buddha's Candy
by leesuhrenay
Q: How many licks does it take to get to the center of a ‘Lolli Dama’?
A: As many as it takes.
Mr. Holiness himself graced us with his humanness on May 11th and 12th with an orange and red clad entourage, a monotone translator and a candle of hope for the Panchen Lama....
The usual world-sized weight rests upon my shoulders and monstrous amounts of negativity spew from my mouth as I trudge up to the Huntsman Center. Vulgarities, racial slurs and fashion faux pas swim around my head and come flying out with such ferocity that I think myself possessed. I am seething with the polarity of everything that resembles goodness and compassion, squeezing out all the evil to make room for his sweet goodness.
BIG energy floating about, mingling with the small-bodies, bumping, pushing everywhere, I’m reminiscent of the dead show I was privileged to attend where I freaked out because of large quantities of hallucinogens. Gotta get to my seat; its safe and sound; just me and Mr. Lama, and my head against the back wall. We’re like sardines. To my left is “yakkity yak don’t talk back” and his sniffly sneezy stuffy head ego.
A nice Tibetan dance troupe does a thing while I adjust to the elevation and realize that claustrophobia is virtually a free buzz--although there is a service charge. We all stand as he enters and we all sit. I know at least 73% of us hopes the person next to us doesn’t make a friggin’ sound.
The man has a sense of humor that is so simple that I’m sure his toes fascinate him. Mostly he reminds me of what I already know, but the way he says it refreshes my soul. Compassion is an easy word to say and not as easy a place to come from--doing unto yourself will make doing unto others a piece of “guiltless chocolate cake.”
I am filled up with Buddhist treasures and I’m weeping, so glad, as I float outta the place. Well it doesn’t stick, and some time after my exposure to “him,” I’m actually feeling more negative than before. I’m plenty fine with my turmoil and anxiety, because I know I’m purging excess and gaining momentum toward the positive.
How much you have to lick and suck all depends upon how hard the candy shell really is, and the effort it takes to get to the gooey center is so worth it.
