I came across this on a page on Facebook that belongs to a Buddhist. I thought it was worth sharing.
I was in full robes for a couple of years after taking my monastic vows. The robes initially served as a constant reminder of my new commitment to be of service, symbolizing my vows in the same way a wedding ring is a symbol of a different promise.
The robes also wordlessly communicated to others that I am no longer available for certain kinds of relationships, but still available for others (again, much like a wedding band).
It was my own teachers who challenged me one day by asking, "Why the robes? Why can't you just be the guy in town with the bright eyes?"
When they asked me that question I immediately knew that there would come a time when I would no longer need the robes as a reminder of my vows, and that living this new life would simply become the new norm. You see, what I didn't initially realize is that the robes communicated a lot more to the world: they said, "I am different from you," which is the opposite of what I've learned, and it contradicts my beliefs to the very core. I am not different from anyone (nor is anyone from anyone else. I am you, and you are me, and we are one).
We all want to be happy. True, I may go about it differently than what the media decides is "normal", but we're all looking for the same thing. Who's to say that my way is better or worse? After all, what works for me may not work for you. So I simply honor your path, you honor mine, and we both go about our day making a million decisions with the same hope in mind: that our choices will eventually lead to our ultimate happiness.
Today I am simply the guy in a T-shirt, blending in with the rest of the crowd, because I'm an active member of society, not different from it. It takes our combined effort to make civilization civil, and I'm just doing my part.
Thank you for being with me on this journey, everybody. I appreciate each and every one of you.
