I thought about doing an ILYB for a couple years, but clarity about what to compose eluded me. My inspiration came one day about a year ago, when I was living in a Zen monastery, and I was filled with a feeling as to how much I *love* the Buddha Dharma. I was feeling how much I trust the Dharma, appreciate it, feel grateful for it, feel a warm full heart feeling for it. When I say “it” here, it’s that is something hard to pin down – maybe, the highest teachings of the Buddhist tradition, maybe deep spiritual truth, maybe living in a way that is harmonious with life, maybe being the best person that I can be – none of those are exactly what I am talking about, but, they’re close enough.

One of my Buddhist teachers talks about “trusting the Dharma”, and he says that, whenever he has done that, the Dharma has shown up for him in return, and then some. I have sometimes realized how patiently the Dharma waits for me, willing to give to me, sustain me, help me to be happy – when I am willing to settle down and listen.

I was moving out of a house where I had been subletting for a couple months. The day before I left, I put a bunch of things that were Dharmic and/or pretty out on the porch, of my own and my friend’s (thanks Erin!), and snapped some shots.

Adam, 40, San Francisco