Diary of a Chapter Leader

Virtual Reality in the Virtual World

Several months ago I decided to join Facebook. I asked my daughter to put up a page for me. Now, I could do it, but I just didn't want to. Right away, the minute my page went live, a friend of Greg's was asking to be friends. I don't know how he knew I was on, but he was my first friend. Then I became virtual reality friends with some ninjas and a classmate. Then some of my brother-in-law's friends added me and some people from FWP and a few SGI members. That went along for awhile, but it seemed I was missing the point of this tool. So I started looking for people. I found one of my cousins. I have four cousins from my father's side of the family. We were not close after we grew up. Two months ago we get word that another cousin has been in a terrible accident (driving drunk on a mountain road) and was in a coma.
This news and using Facebook and email to communicate to get info was new, but very effective. My goal was to get the cousins together. I have a good relationship with my brother, but the cousins were not talking to each other. I made a goal to get everyone back together. I chanted about it for a few days and then other things came up and I hadn't given it much thought when a message from my cousin shows up, he said his family had come full circle because of his brother (the Coma Cousin). I was shocked. I asked him to clarify. He decided to contact Coma Cousin when he was released from the hospital. Coma Cousin was a changed man. Divorcing his wife, new girlfriend and wanting to connect with his family. Then a friend request form Coma Cousin. I had looked for him on Facebook, but didn't find him. He found me.
After becoming virtual reality friends with Coma Cousin, I started reading his posts. 15 days in a coma and 30 days in ICU. Stopped drinking, in pain, but happier than he has been in years. My goal was one step closer. I would read all the messages and info to my parents and they would pass it along to my brother. Then today... a friend request form a third cousin, the oldest. I was surprised when I saw the request. There smiling at me was my cousin, looking all happy. Another step closer to that family reunion. My oldest cousin lives in Las Vegas. Looking forward to a Vegas Reunion.

So how would I give this experience at an SGI meeting. I made a goal, I was very sincere, but I didn't chant for hours and hours and I didn't really do anything. I just used my ichinen - it was a Jedi Mind Trick! I supported the family I could support and voiced my goal to everyone involved. Oh and, yes, chanted a little about it. But maybe the big "experience" is the opening up of my life. Thanks to a friend and some conversations I have had recently, I chant more. I am spending more time on myself - making goals, chanting, talking to friends, making new friends and reconnecting to family and my old friends.
I am working on the gosho study meeting I will be hosting the Saturday. We will be studying "The Essentials for Attaining Buddhahood." This is not an easily understood letter. He wrote it to a lay priest. I have struggled with the concepts for two weeks. I refuse to parrot SGI dogma, so I have to figure out what Nichiren was trying to convey. I spend time on the background, what was happening in Japan? Where was Nichiren living? What is the significance of the recipient? This gives me a much better understanding of what Nichiren was talking about. But I can't just parrot this M/D stuff. And this one talks about reproaching slanderers. I think I am just going to ignore that for now. I have a groups of region leaders who want to support MY study meeting so attendance will be up. And that is the best part, if they come to my meeting, they might learn something. I'll let you know.