September 26, 2011

I went to the wat this morning, to honor and remember Dougie. I brought a gift in his honor. It is a Thai/Buddhist tradition to honor family who have passed away. They have special days to do so (see 2 posts ago), but I don’t know if they do so on the anniversaries of someone’s death. Being away from family and friends who knew Dougie, I wanted to find a way to mark the day for myself.
It turned out to be the perfect place to reflect on his life, our relationship, our children. It is a beautiful, peaceful setting. There is something serene about making a trip just for this purpose, like visiting his grave and bringing flowers. It is a time you set aside from the typical daily routine to mark something of significance. I think it is an important thing to do. My children, in their own ways, are also marking the day, sharing it with each other and friends and celebrating their dad. I am doing the same with this post.

The wat has several areas where individuals can "make merit" to Buddha, the king and queen, or their ancestors. I like this little area because it is more enclosed than most and just seems cozy, like you are surrounded by positive energy.