Hitch Hiker....

Wednesday
January 9, 2013

We drove to Portland (Oregon) today.  While passing through the small town of Scappoose we noticed a young man hitch hiking. He had a kind face and I said, "stop the car, let's give him a ride!"  So we stopped, I hopped out and motioned to him to come with us.  He had a big smile on his face as he came running, though weighed down by his big backpack.  He introduced himself and off we went together.  He talked non-stop about his adventures.  He has been hitch hiking for the past 4 years all around the United States.  He said that in all of those years he always had the good fortune of meeting nice people that would give him a ride to his next destination.  He was pleasant and very grateful for the ride.  We dropped him off in downtown Portland.  He thanked us again and off he went on his merry way to meet up with a friend.

I have been thinking about the whole interaction we had with this stranger today.

There is a certain level of trust and fearlessness that one must have in order to hitch hike.  It is also true of those of us that are willing to stop and pick up a stranger.  It is a mutual act of trust that happens very quickly based on a "feeling" and not a "knowing".

For a long time I felt like a spiritual hitch hiker.  Going from place to place, yet never knowing where was home.

18 years ago I walked into a Buddhist temple.  I took a deep breath.  I was nervous, but I had a "feeling" that Buddhism was going to be part of my life from that moment on.  I didn't "know" why, I just "felt" it.

When I came to learn about Shin Buddhism, I heard about Amida Buddha.  I not only felt like I had found my spiritual "home", I absolutely knew it!

Amida Buddha saw me hitch hiking on the Karmic Highway and offered this foolish passenger the ride of a lifetime.

Namu Amida Butsu

Thank you.
Jishin