photo by Lisa Law Brief Memories
I remembered a day at Tassajara. I was walking past the area where
Roshi and Alan were working on a rock garden. Roshi stopped and beckoned
me towards him. I walked slowly over to where they were standing, not
sure what to expect. Roshi grinned at me, then he took his two hands and
placed them on top of my head. “I want you to stop growing so quickly
this way” he said as he patted my head with both his hands. He then
moved his hands so one was on each side of my head next to my ears. “I
want you to grow this way” as he moved his hands out from the side of my
head indicating a broader mind was preferable to a taller girl. Then he
gave me one of his special smiles, the ones he reserved for children
that let us know he was still one of us. DC comment: I'd say he was indicating not height, but not to become too adult too quickly but to, as she said, let her mind broaden so she'd have the judgment, wisdom, emotional maturing to go along with the physical maturing. Jeanne was precoutious as heck. |