Feeling irrational fear is not usually a pleasant sensation, however this time it led to a lovely connection with a stranger. I had stepped onto the small plane and felt the rising of an old ancient fear I hadn’t had to deal with for a couple of years. I was puzzled and taken back by its strength.

The woman I sat next to intuitively began talking to me in a supportive way. She was so open and friendly that it took my mind off the well known rising, irrational panic.

The conversation wove it’s way to a mutual landscape of sharing stories about our daughters.  Grandbabies ….about to arrive and already arrived.

We were both familiar with the type of worry that at times inhabited this landscape.

After sharing a bit about my Buddhist life she smiled and showed me her necklace. It had the Avalokitesvara ( Buddha of compassion ) seed syllable on it.  We had more in common than we would have initially expected.

I learned of her wonderful years of volunteer work raising money to help rebuild a village damaged in the Nepalese earthquake. She had also visited the local monastery nearby.

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Pema Namding Monastery is a Nyingma Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Nepal which was opened in April 2008. Trulsik Rinpoche of Thupten Chholing Monastery named this monastery. 

Acknowledging our Buddhist connection, I wanted to offer her a little Buddha to give to her daughter who was about to give birth.  However, I had unmindfully packed them in my luggage which had ended up in the belly of plane rather than my cabin luggage.

She kindly gave me her address and after sending pictures for her daughter to choose one of my little Buddhas , I carefully packed the chosen one and sent it on.

From one mother to another mother ….firstly handed on to her daughter and then on again to that daughter’s new baby daughter.

 

This Buddha, donated by another mother, Kiranada in USA , has finally arrived in at its new home.