07 October 2008

burger bodhisattva

Sometimes you have more cause to meditate than others. Saturday at the lake, sun shining, warm fresh air, being here restores me and of course i am not alone. Ahead of me walking towards the lake with a trance look in his face and intention in his posture is a young man in his early twenties in full Mcdonald’s gear; maroon shirt, golf cap, golden arches, black pants faded from many washes. He walked with such meaning towards the lake that i thought for sure he was going to head right in! But he stopped at a bench, sat down, hands palm up on his knees and eyes closed...he was meditating.

These things occur when i leave my camera at home.

It is easy to remember to meditate when you work at McDonald’s, or if you don’t work at all, when things are perfectly not the way you have planned and you are in constant reminder that sometimes life stinks like a greasy french fry, but by staying focused you can see the light, even clearer than if things are going "your way"

My friend Nick just spent the last 8 weeks in India. He told a story of stopping at a McDonald’s in New Delhi after feeling homesick for America. Since they don’t eat cows in India they served him a McMahardra, i.e. a chicken big mac. The story didn’t end well as he became violently ill from food poisoning...or perhaps it was the burger bodhisattva striking again.