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Happy New Year, Everyone! I hope you enjoy a wonderful holiday New Year season. As we begin a new year, I would like to reflect on all the people who make my life possible. As we are all beings who share experiences, and share this space in the world, we have many people in our lives we must show gratitude to.
It is easy for all of us to become caught up in ourselves and think that we are the only ones who experience certain aspects of life. We isolate ourselves from the notion that our own experience is the only one; no one else truly understands our life, plight, or success. The truth is that complete individualism is an illusion. I dislike hearing people brag about how they pulled themselves up by their own boots traps without help from anyone. While we acknowledge the hard work we do and are proud of it, we must not forget that we had help or assistance along the way. Buddha said the truth is that we need people in our lives.
When we think about the three treasures, we think of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. The Sangha, the community that we surround ourselves with, is one of the most important pieces of our happiness. Yes, people can be annoying, overbearing, sometimes downright unpleasant to be around, but we must also recognize the good that people bring into our lives as well.
As we begin our new year, I ask that we surround ourselves with people who give us love, encourage growth, and foster improvement. We should not just surround ourselves with people who always agree with what we say, but also those who can offer us alternate perspectives in life. If we can continuously open our minds and allow ourselves to be helped and loved, we will live more fulfilling lives.
Thank you to everyone in the community and in my life for making it full and loved!
Namo Amida Butsu.
Rev. Tadao Koyama
