Today we were invited to the Buddhist temple at the Sri Lankan embassy to celebrate Vesak (?????) Full Moon Poya Day - we dressed in white as requested and turned up not knowing what to expect...

The experience was both beautiful and serene - coconut-oil lamps, burnt as little offerings, filled the air with a sweet acrid smell - chatting, animated ladies busied themselves making tea for everyone - a choir sang in a haunting dialect that was familiar yet unknown - children threaded flower headbands with sweet smelling jasmine - paper lanterns blew gently in the breeze - and smiling benignly over all this human chaos was a beautiful white statue of a seated Buddha surrounded by flowers and offerings from the gathered believers...

On days like today I realise that stepping into other people's worlds is a gift to be treasured, appreciated and learnt from.

Life is good...x