Since You’ve Known

It was the spring of the 10th year of training at the Monastic Academy for the Preservation of Life on Earth. The community was milling about in the main hall and outside on the lawn celebrating Vesak and the lay ordination that had just taken place with Tibetan nun Tsunma Choetso and Soryu. I had been the first to receive lay ordination that year, as I had been the first to request it, over a year before. As I was by the snack table, Soryu came over and remarked on how after all this time I had finally received lay ordination. I said, it's only been a year. He said, that's since YOU’VE known about it.