A tangle of cars back up behind where he has parked his, and if this were South Florida, there would be horns honking. It's Tallahassee so people are muttering and smiling and blessing each others hearts.
He jumps out of his car to where I am standing and I unceremoniously hand him a Target bag that has a new tablet and a few gift cards. He says thanks and I then I fall back into my phone. Another student from another class is meeting us here too in this rainy tangled Christmas shopping mess, and she needs a bit more directions. There she is. She jumps out and hands off a scooter, we all hug and then as he's about to load his car I shout NO PICTURES.
His face falls.
He's doing a great thing by coordinating these gifts and he wants to say thank you by showing pictures of the gifts and pictures of the kids opening the gifts. I feel a little sad bossing him around because he's a great guy who used to wear a uniform and normally he's in charge of things but the universe sent him into my arena for this part of the journey.
No, please no. If you take them and send them to me, I'll have to post them,I will, I'd say I wouldn't but I would and then I'd be tormented because it isn't what I want to teach. I want to teach detachment. You give quietly, let the blessing go off into the universe and make room for new blessings.
