Lost and then Found.....Finding the Light.....

On your journey through life there will be times when you feel lost. All of us, at one time or another in our lives have felt lost, even Sensei. When you are lost, there is a way.

Before I came to live with my students, I too was lost. I'm not quite sure how it happened, but that matters not, the point is, I was lost. I was living on the streets with no one to rely on except for myself. Perhaps this is why I understand how important it is to have faith in oneself. For I had to have faith, those were dark times for Sensei. Living on the streets, with no food and no water, in 100 degree heat with my black coat. There were times when I was hungry. There were times when I was thirsty. And yes, there were times when I was afraid. I had been wandering for too long....all alone. Then, everything changed....

Sensei did not like wandering alone on the streets like some nomad, but you see, I had no choice. But, what would come next, while better perhaps, was not much better. I was picked up and taken to a prison. I had done nothing wrong, I deserved not to be in prison. But alas, I found myself there. Cold, gray, concrete floors. Large, loud barking dogs. I was very sick, probably from living on the streets. People coming in to look and then going back out again. My weepy eyes, my dreadful cough, my scarred eyeballs, my protruding ribs, I suppose I did not look my best. This may be why they thought I was old. I wasn't, I was just worn and tattered, but I was not old. Yes, those were quite dark times. Was I afraid? Perhaps, but I had faith. Time went by, but I waited and did not lose faith. Then again, everything changed....

My student came to see me. She saw how very thin I was. She let me out of the concrete prison and looked at my face closely. She could see I was not old. She could see I was very sick and I needed immediate care and attention. She knew I could not go on like that in there. She took me home and the light started to creep back in..... Back into my life, back into my eyes and back into my heart...

My students took good care of me. I needed some surgery but was too thin and too sick to risk it. They fed Sensei so that I could gain strength. They administered medication so that I could get well. They washed and brushed my coat which had been chopped off and was dirty and matted so I could look and feel beautiful again. With some time I grew stronger and my coat began to look shiny again. I stopped coughing and my eyes stopped weeping. I gained enough strength and weight to have my surgeries. In two months, I was myself again. I was again who I once was.

The original plan was that they would care for me until I was well and then find me new students to live with. However, as they took care of me and my health began to improve, we grew close. So close that we could not bear to part. They did so much for me that I did not want to leave. We realized that we belonged together and that I should remain. And so, I did.....

Pearls of Wisdom

"There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness. "

~His Holiness the Dalai Lama

The Porcelain Prison

Recently, I spoke about Instruments of the Devil, the evil contraptions used to torture Sensei's beautiful coat. I did not reveal to you to the worst evil of all.....

Today, I was subjected to abuse when my student placed me inside the large, white, porcelain prison and then thoroughly assaulted me with an equally loathsome water hose. There are few things in this world that Sensei cannot tolerate and this is one of them.

The heinous water shooting at my coat, the wicked soap trying to find it's way into my sensitive eyes..... I cried out in horror.... I could hear the others yelling back to me from the other room.... It was a dreadful event that I wish not experience ever again! However, how lovely it felt to be towel dried in my students arms. She apologized over and over and hugged me and rubbed me with the towel. She dried and dried and kissed me and told me how brave Sensei was and how she adored me. Nearly groveling but enjoyable for Sensei just the same...

Then we went into the other room where I greeted the others who had been awaiting my return. Because of my cries they were worried for me and clamoring around to check on Sensei. I greeted them all and then rolled and rolled and rolled on the cool hardwood floor. I air dried for several hours (she knows better than to try and blow dry me, for that I would surely lose all composure). She carefully brushed out my clean coat later in the evening.

Sensei cannot think of anything more dreadful than being subjected to the porcelain prison, but the drying...... I quite like the drying. A bittersweet experience indeed.

Pearls of Wisdom

"Real self-mastery is the ability to stay fully present for whatever life brings because we trust who we are."

~Richard Moss

Pearls of Wisdom

"Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens."

~Jimi Hendrix

Fosters

Fosters. This is what my student calls the vagabonds that she brings here to stay while they are searching for new homes. Having once been a nomad myself, Sensei is sensitive to opening our home to others less fortunate. Yes, it is true, this honorable master was once living on the streets, wandering, learning and teaching. So you see, I have compassion for those lost souls, however, I see no reason to admit non-Pekingese on a regular basis.

I accept and at times even respect the others in my home, however, if we are to reach out and assist, I see no reason not to start with the lost Pekingese of the world. We welcome a seemingly endless string of others which I accept, however, I quite prefer the company of other Pekingese.

Clearly, my student agrees with Sensei, as Pekingese have top priority. This is not to say others are not welcome, only that, if Pekingese are needy, they shall first be taken. As it should be...

Pearls of Wisdom

"If you are a dog and your owner suggests that you wear a sweater. . . suggest that he wear a tail."

~ Fran Lebowitz