Rude Awakenings - Forest Sangha Publications

6Spiritual FriendshipA J A H N S U C I T T OThe man who had helped us, his function fulfilled, disappeared. Therewere a lot of these people popping up on the pilgrimage. Thinking back,we’d sometimes speculate, “What would have happened if that manhadn’t shown up?” and a glow of gratitude and wonder would arise. Inthat glow these friends in the darkness could be seen as a main thread ofthe pilgrimage: it was as if the frequently irritating experiences were justthere to provide the scenario within which some benevolent being couldarise to guide us through. But the glow was brief: we soon dropped backinto darkness again.This time, the darkness was actually a gloom slightly illuminated bylight from a building a dozen metres ahead. In between was some kindof a garden—a few stunted trees, scraps of dry grass, a low block thatmust have been a latrine and washing area with a few buckets dottedaround it. The yellow patch of light at the end of the garden drew us in.Beyond the door arose a startled caretaker, an old ledger to sign in on,garbled attempts at conversation, a fumbling with keys, a rickety doorthat unlocked, and a simple room to sink down in.The room was bare except for a single large table-like structure thatwas the sleeping platform. It nearly filled the room. The day’s walk was1 0 1