By Michael Hom
Good Morning Everyone.
My name is Michael. I hope you are having a great start to your day.
My earliest memory at this Temple was attending the Obon with my family. Stepping into the lively community, to be honest, the only thing I was excited for at the time was to eat some of the shaved ice. Growing up, I constantly heard stories of how my dad and his friends would come here to play basketball at night when he was my age, and all I could think was, “Wow, this Temple is really that old?” Just kidding, but when I first entered these Temple grounds, all I saw was a place for this annual festival to be held and somewhere I could practice basketball. Little did I know, I was immersing myself into one of the most uplifting and interconnected communities I have ever been a part of. From that point on, it felt like the Temple was a hotspot for my activities, coming and meeting my friends for many different events. Over the years, it has transformed from an unfamiliar place to somewhere I know could come in and be accepted without any judgement.
It was only in my High School years when I took the opportunity to further involve myself by joining YBA with some of my friends. Coming in, I already knew a good amount of the members and some were even my close friends, but I was still nervous when I first came in. However, once again, my fears immediately vanished as I was warmly welcomed by the other members and the advisors like I have been a part of YBA for years already. Through my time as a part of YBA, I have not only gotten the chance to broaden my understanding of Buddhist Principles through conferences, services, and Dharma School, but I have also been able to make connections with people that I never thought I would have met. Being a part of such a thoughtful and hard-working group of people, I was able to see the work that was put in to run events like our YBA Spaghetti Dinner or Keiro Kai. Initially, the process to put on these things seemed intimidating, but, after hearing the sounds of the bustling gym and seeing smiles on everyone’s faces during our event, I felt a feeling so rewarding that every second that we put in immediately felt worth it.
As I move forward in life, I am going to have to leave many things behind, but the lessons I’ve learned and the friends I’ve made through the Temple’s community will not be one of them. I will be forever grateful for my time here and all of the experiences I have shared with those around me.
Thank you to those who have helped me learn some of the most valuable lessons of my life like how to be empathetic of others, to accept all without judgement, to be open-minded and try new things, and most importantly, to not go outside while playing tag at a Tri-City holiday party.
Thank you all for Listening.