This is my mother. A few years ago she made the incredibly brave choice to become a Buddhist nun, a choice that I will forever be proud of, something that couldn’t be an easy choice for anyone despite the best of motivations.
Yesterday was her 69th birthday and we were forced to celebrate over the phone with a quick phone call while I was in an airport, about to board a plane. As usual for me. I want to take this opportunity to wish her a Happy Birthday, to try and express how much I love her, and how deeply proud of her I am. Always. These few photos I took of her on my last trip to see her in Gampo Abbey, her monastery nestled in the wooded forests of northern Cape Breton in Nova Scotia. Here we spent a few days walking together, talking, and taking in the beauty that is the precious connection between mother and son.
Happy Birthday Mom, Ani Changchup Chodrön, may your practice be without obstacles and may our lives give us greater opportunities to see each other in the future. Just know, that for now, I couldn’t be happier to know you are where you should be, doing what you love and believe in, and helping the precious wheel of Dharma to keep turning forever. I love you!
Changchup Chodron
