All Good Things

"...every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God."  Moroni 7:13


We have Buddhist prayer flags hanging from our play set in the backyard.  Multi-colored and bright, they flutter in the breeze, saying their prayers.  Brian hung them up a month ago.  He can see their gentle waving from our bed as he lays there recovering from his cancer treatments.


I am not a Buddhist.  I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I am really very Christian.  Some might look at it and say, "Why would she have a heathen symbol in her yard?"  Or if they knew Brian put it up they may wonder why I didn't complain.  Complaining would be amazingly hypocritical of me, since I am the one who put the Buddha head statue back there several years ago.  Got that one from my Bishop; it was given to him by a good friend who had died but I think he felt a little uncomfortable having it in his yard.


So why do I have Buddhist things in my backyard?  To try to fit in with all my Buddhist neighbors?  (A lot of my neighborhood is Vietnamese.)  Because it is trendy and cool?  No.  Each item has its own reason.  I put the Buddha head there because I admire Buddhist philosophy - it's acceptance of life as it is and the belief one can bring change through changing ones self.  It resonates with my Christian beliefs of doing good because it is the right thing to do.  It resonates with my life experience that the only time I am truly happy is when I accept life is what it is and choose to be at peace with it.


Why did Brian put up the prayer flags?  I don't know, but I think it is a small way of reaching out to God.  As he watches the flags wave I imagine he thinks of prayers being said to God.  And I do believe that any thing which invites you to approach God is a good thing.  It is not the fullness of good, but it is good.


That is why Buddhist pray flags softly sway near a statue of Buddha in the back yard of this Christian house.


ALB