Arose before dawn again (this is becoming a real habit) to take part in the alms ceremony in Luang Prabang. I was utterly charmed by this little monk, so happy with both his abundance of food–and with the candy bar he had just received from the laughing man behind him. It’s nice to know these little boys are given more than rice in their early morning processions.
My lovely daughter-in-law Lauren was clearly as moved by this alms-giving ceremony as I was; she remarked on our way back to our hotel: “No wonder this town feels so safe. Everyone starts out their day by giving.”
And give they do: right before the monks came by this side street, I noticed these four children with large baskets running ahead of the procession. It took me a minute to realize that they were seeking alms from the monks, who then shared their own gifts of food with the hungry children. There is a very, very big lesson here for all of us to remember.
