Namaste Everyone,

This weekend both my wife Kim & I, went to participate the Cabin Party, hosted by my in-laws annually. We drove on Friday afternoon and got to the Cabin around 9:30 pm or so. It usually takes from Sturgeon Bay to Ashland, WI about 5-6 hours depending on traffic. However the funny thing is when we are together it rather feels like 1 hour because we hardly drive together and when we do, it is more fun than boring. Mostly we talk and enjoy the ride. It just beautiful to drive in summer & fall time. And also it reconnects with our selves, which we lose from day to day cycle. It does not mean I do not enjoy my day to day life. But when we change our routine at least ones in a while, it gives us the greatest pleasure and happiness. So, we enjoy our lives more and take it with awareness as we go along.

Anyway, The location is somewhere between Superior & Ashland, WI by Iron River. This family reunion has been happening over 30 years and it is stronger and bigger every year. First it started with few friends of my in-laws as my father in-law mentions, and became permanent as time unfolded. Almost like family festival. Since it is by a private property & lake, most of the families enjoy boating, tubing, pontoon rides and swimming. Majority of the party goers live near by locations but, some come from far away like Minneapolis, Green Bay, Wausau & Sturgeon Bay, WI.

Over the few years, I have begin to notice, how time just keep aging ,that means I am getting aged, in fact, every one of us are aging because the children are growing and these very children I used to hold are getting bigger and bigger. So, everything is changing constantly.

Since last year, I added a little spice to the family party. As I have lived most of my life in Nepal. My skill to be a macho man and becoming regular Wisconsin Boy is not my cup of tea. I wondered what I could contribute to the party. Then since last year, I began to bar-tend @ a local restaurant in Sturgeon Bay. Since then I totally took the different route to engage in the conversations and make all my folks happy by making their drinks. Wow, the whole party changed & drinks became fancier such as Bloody Mary, Pina Colada, Old Fashion, Long Island Ice Tea to Monster Bomb. Of course, we had to collect some irregular ingredients but it was very much worth it.

My father in law made a little bar for me in their garage and that became the hanging out place for many.

Even though we were there for the party, for me it was more like recharging of my energy. Reconnecting with the nature and my folks. It was very wonderful feeling. We played volleyball, lawn darts and so forth. With a blink of an eye, our day was gone. As sun went down, the view became even more spectacular. Then there was a fire pit. Every one who, camped for the night and stayed at the cabin began to gather around the fire all enjoying and laughing. Many people would think of vacation in secluded island or beach but for us it was the family members to enjoy with. Such a great time, felt like a dream as I am writing this little note.

In addition to the bonfire, there was boom bangs were going on. Private fireworks. How cool was that? I mean, to see such scale of fireworks, one has to wait for Christmas to come but not for us. That is why, I feel we are lucky and grateful to wherever we are. We have to feel that way in every occasion to appreciate each moment in our lives. Of course you may have so many things going on in your life but since you cannot do anything at that very moment, one must disengage from such thoughts. Disengagement does not mean, you have completely forgotten about it. It just means, you were able to detach such thoughts for the time being, which may be troubling and will stop you from present moment. Do all movements matter? Of course it does because if we look in deep, our life is a moment.

Another amusement to our Cabin Party was Fire works. As we encircled the fire pit, some members of the family began to set fire works, soon one after the other went off, making beautiful picture in the lake. All I could hear is Ahhhhhhhh.. .from by standing relatives. Time was engulfing the night. Slowly everyone left the fire pit, but I stood by and enjoyed the fire until it went off.

Then another beautiful morning greeted us stopping time for a moment. Kim & I both woke up with happiness from a secluded bunk house. We both were ready to swim in the lake. Water was a little colder than usual but we both became brave and dived into a shallow part of the lake, close to the cabin, where my in laws have pier for pontoon. Came back to the cabin from swimming and enjoyed the coffee chatting and looking at the lake. My mother in law is the cook by profession as well as in the house. So, one can imagine how delicious her meal could be. Our breakfast was made by her.

Time, like I mentioned never waits for none. Is this even correct sentence? Once again, it was time to say, see you later to my beloved in laws, assuring that it will be soon. As we got to Ashland, Kim & I decided to see my wife’s Grandmother, I call her grandma as well. She is a little old in age but again, every one gets old. It is the law of nature or time. So, no need to panic here. We stopped at her place. She was thrilled to see her granddaughter and me. She was so happy, that made us both happy. Genuine happiness is contagious. We visited her for a while and had to say, see you later Grandma. She gave both of us hugs, felt so good. We left Ashland with feeling content because we stopped.

Then on the road again. On the road again. We have almost a ritual kind of driving pattern. Every time, when we drive back from in laws, we take Hwy 13, which connects to Abbotsford, which is on the way from Chippewa falls to Wausau, WI. We have to stop at the Gas Station in Abbotsford to fill our gas and for bathroom stop as well as snack if you will.

Then, as we were approaching to Abbotsford, might have been 5 miles away from our stop, we see a vague billboard, like any other billboard. We get closer and closer, the vision gets clearer and clearer. My wife was driving but I see this very particular billboard, and the man on the billboard seemed like a Buddhist monkish figure shows up. I couldn’t close my eyes and just stared at the billboard. As we got really close I began to make weird noise by tapping my both hands on the car to get my wife’s attention. Because I was so engaged on the billboard, that I didn’t even know what to do. The figure on the billboard was no other than our very own true Bodhisattva, His Holiness the 14 the Dalai Lama. I was like, “Holy Moly”. It felt like a dream again. So, my wife insisted, lets turn. If it was some other billboard, I would have thought twice but site like this without hesitation I said, lets do it. We both know, we want to get home but for this view, I would have turned over and over again. So, as soon as we found a turning point, we turned and went back by that very bill board and stared at it, thinking “WOW” what a great feeling to be able to see this. We spend for a while looking at it and enjoyed our little unexpected break as well and thinking I want to put this billboard in my blog. So here it is. Enjoy.

We got home safe and sound and rested.

Prem & Kim