Note that I’m not at all religious, spiritual, or have a set belief defined. However, about 5 years ago, in the midst of going through another one of those drastic, self-evaluating, contemplating the meaning of life, & human existence phase, I turned to a Buddha book given by a friend in hopes to possibly find “enlightenment” or be “enlightened” by his story.
The book was a condensed version of Buddha’s biography and how he came to be. As I read the book, I found myself blocking out all the chaos that was going through my mind, and became at peace for a brief moment.
The next morning, (6/05/05, to be exact), I went to Staples with my sister. After my purchase, I was waiting for my sister at the entrance. She spotted me and walked towards me. Just then and there, I happened to look back at the entrance when I noticed a MONK walking in. The monk was an elderly, darker skinned Asian man, with shaven head, special beaded necklace, entirely dressed in a bright orange Buddhist robe all wrapped around himself, and he was barefoot.
I was incredibly puzzled, but curious to know what a monk needed at Staples, but I didn’t want to appear rude staring, so I quickly looked back at my sister who was only a few feet away asking me if I got what I needed. The monk was walking in slow, small steps, passing by, in between my sis and I, then looked at me with a warm smile, and continue walking towards the back of Staples, then disappeared.
It wasn’t until we were home, when I mentioned to my sister, “Hey did you see the monk in Staples that walked right by you?” She was confused, “What? Is that a movie?” I explained about seeing the monk and not wanting to say anything earlier because I didn’t want seem to be rude staring. She still gave me a blank stare in disbelief asking me “Are you sure?” I started to freak out thinking that there was a possibility that I was the only one who saw him.. “Yeah, he walked RIGHT by you in a BRIGHT orange robe..”
My sis, still clueless, still did not recall seeing the monk. In disbelief, she asked “Heh, so do you think that was a sign??? You think you were blessed by Buddha??” My Buddhist friends believed so, and believed that what I experienced was a special gift. I was convinced that it could have been a sign, but wasn’t sure and still not sure what to believe. For a moment, I thought, Was he real? I didn’t believe I would ever have a “vision” and have never hallucinated before. He was as real as a guy standing next to me that I could’ve asked to shake hands with. But there isn’t a known temple near by, definitely not walkable distance, the population is about 2% Asian, (so chances of seeing an Asian is slim), and monks generally don’t pop up barefoot at an office supply store. I really couldn’t comprehend a monk at Staples, (What would a monk need at Staples?), but I found the it rather amusing. My parents got a good laugh from this story.
There is no way that I would have not noticed and still think it was nearly impossible for anyone to not see a barefoot monk in bright orange, walking right by me in Staples. I’d like to believe that I was the only one in the entire Staples store who saw this monk, and that it was a special gift, and a sign of good things to come; something to look back at and smile when things get tough. Either way, I certainly felt “enlightened” by this mysterious monk.
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