A deep arigato to each and every one of you for your many birthday greetings to Shibata Sensei. The candles were a tremendous delight! Here are some hastily shot photos from his birthday. At Sensei's request, we spent the day quietly. First, I arranged some of the candles on the dining table early in the morning. So, when he came out for breakfast he had his first glimpse of them. He was quite impressed.
You can see him here examining the messages...
then saying a silent prayer.
In the afternoon, we took a mountain drive. He wanted to have a big view of Boulder.
Here he is in the car telling me what to photograph.
During most of the rest of the day, he warmed himself in front of the fireplace. We lit candles gradually throughout the day and set them out around him as he relaxed. Each time we lit one, we read its message. So, by the end of the day, he had heard each one of your greetings. In between, I also passed him emails, cards that had arrived by post, a kabocha from the doorstep and handed him the phone several times for those who called in. So, although the day was quiet and peaceful it unfolded in a heartening atmosphere of abundance.
Finally, at night, he insisted that we set up all the candles together and take a couple of snapshots before bed. (I'm afraid I didn't manage to capture the fabulous view from the ceiling he was asking for.) Your many aspirations illuminated his birthday, providing a palpable connection with each of you.
Tonight, I asked him if he had a message for you all. It is this:
"Good health and harmony are completely interrelated. If there is no harmony, it is difficult to have a strong body. And if the body is not well, it is difficult to have harmony. These two are naturally bound together."
With gratitude,
Carolyn Kanjuro
