A Moment to Reflect

This past Sunday morning, I started at 8am on a trip down the beautiful Tokushima and Kochi coastline in order to visit 88 Temples, 24-27 in Kochi.  However, this trip wasn’t as scenic as I had hoped due to a storm we headed right into.  With strong wind and rain coming from a southerly direction, this Spring storm I hope is a sign that the beautiful blossoming of Cherry Flowers in Japan are on the horizon.  But for this day, it was necessary to persevere in the wind and rain as Kobo Daishi was clearly intent on testing our "Religious Discipline."  My fellow Henro (a term used to describe a person attempting the pilgrimage), Nishiyama sensei and I drove all the way down to Cape Muroto (Muruto-misaki), known to be one of Shikoku’s two great capes that jut out into the Pacific.  Cape Muruto was pounded by huge waves on our visit, a resounding demonstration of the ocean’s power.  Probably not the best of ideas under the circumstances, we made our way up to Cape Muruto’s outdoor observatory.  With an umbrella doing more harm than good, I looked out at the Pacific Ocean and I took a moment to reflect.  As a child growing up, I once lived 30-minutes from Seaside, Oregon and a view of the Pacific Ocean.  Looking back in the opposite direction from Japan was surreal.  I think the World has truly become a smaller place for me.