<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="text-align: center;">From Jenna today during the “Being Myself” group </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">Passing it on ~~~~ Thank you Riantee for reading “The Garden” Poem~~! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">A deep and wonderful group today~~~. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">w/Love, ~Ron </div><div><br><blockquote type="cite"><br><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div dir="auto"><div dir="ltr"></div><div dir="ltr">It was a deep Joy once again to be with the group via zoom today. </div><div dir="ltr">This is the message I shared from Lama Michael Gregory who shared it on FB. I found it profoundly moving -and good reflection. </div><div dir="ltr">He often shares excellent wisdom and from himself and his teachers . </div><div dir="ltr"><img alt="image0.jpeg" src="cid:40250DC3-B29A-4D0C-A8C3-A79B50D0D615-L0-001"><br></div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">Dear Sangha and Catholic Friends,</div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">It is with a deep and quiet sadness that we share the news of the passing of Pope Francis.</div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">For many of us, Catholic or not, he was more than a religious figure. He was a courageous human being, a man who sought truth not in division, but in compassion. He reminded us of the dignity found in poverty, the sanctity of mercy, and the spiritual necessity of caring for our Earth. He called on us to see beyond doctrine, to recognize the shared humanity in the refugee, the prisoner, the poor, and the forgotten. He wept for children killed in war, for the abused, and for the lonely. And he reminded the world that a shepherd’s robes should be soiled with the dust of the road, not polished by separation from suffering.</div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">As Buddhists, we bow with reverence to any being who lives with courage and compassion. Pope Francis did both. He chose to walk among those who suffer, and to extend love even when it was not easy, even when it cost him favor and security. In this way, his life echoed the Bodhisattva vow - a vow not owned by any one tradition but lived through those who refuse to turn away.</div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">May our Catholic brothers and sisters feel surrounded by our heartfelt condolences. May they know that the warmth of the Sangha holds them now, with hands folded in prayer and presence. And may this moment be a bridge - not of religion, but of love.</div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">For those who wish to honor his passing, I invite you to sit in silent reflection today. Light a candle. Breathe. Let gratitude arise - for his example, for his voice, and for the reminder that the truest spiritual leaders always stand with the most vulnerable.</div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">“Rivers do not drink their own water; trees do not eat their own fruit. The sun does not shine on itself, and flowers do not spread their fragrance for themselves. Living for others is a rule of nature.”</div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">~ Pope Francis</div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">Dedication of Merit</div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">May any virtue arising from this reflection be offered in honor of Pope Francis.</div><div dir="ltr">May it serve all beings who seek peace.</div><div dir="ltr">And may those who carry the weight of grief today feel the support of a world not yet lost to indifference.</div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">With Love and Our Shared Prayers</div><div dir="ltr">Lama Michael</div></div></div></div></blockquote></div><br></body></html>