Grandma and Tanaka crouch, facing a fire that smells and crackles from burning pine cones and is cooking food gathered from tidal flats – strips of rock bass and fleshed out bodies of clams sizzle on grill. Kimi and Jun squat facing Grandma and Tanaka and all start to eat heartily.
Afterward, they walk over the Red Bridge to a Shrine located on a hump of rock close to shore. There is no beach, just a jumble of black rock extending to ocean, and scrub pine that grows from sod between rocks and gives the fragrance. The bridge is of red-painted old timber piles fixed into underwater rocks; it is body width and makes a markedly rounded arch over the water.
Single-file Jun leads. They cross the bridge and climb up rock spiral steps to top of rock where a 4-sided space as big as Grandma's room. Natural carpet of brown pine-fir gives soft fragrant floor and its ceiling is the sky now late afternoon cloudless blue.
At end alcove is a gray stone Buddha, child size in standing position. On left stone is written a list of the 8 elements of the Aryan Path. Kneeling before it Kimi silently reads: Right Views – to always seek truth and not cling to superstition; Right Aspirations – noble ambition of helping others instead of satisfying selfish cravings; Right Effort – it means that good intentions but slovenly application should not replace careful work well done; Right Mindfulness – humility and rooting out craving for personal glory; and, her favorite, Right Rapture – turning away from mindless religious ecstasies toward real joys of life well lived; and lastly Right Speech, Conduct and Livelihood whose meanings are obvious.
She is comforted by Nature's serene beauty.
Evening: Kimi and Grandma back at shack from happy day and Kimi goes for quiet meditative walk on beach. Ever since her early Tokyo time she has worn The Woman’s Friend contraceptive diaphragm, only removing it for washing. And the Friend had been friend in need and deed; but now, she has a man for her plan, so with a deft motion she pulls it out, washes it in surf, stows it in sleeve and turns to home.
She lies down, nape of neck nestled on small sand-pillow and with arms extended, palms down – position of maximal muscle relaxation. In quiet darkness, with cool salty air sharpening the quality of her thinking, she considers her future.
To read on, click 9.28 Future in her Arms
She lies down, nape of neck nestled on small sand-pillow and with arms extended, palms down – position of maximal muscle relaxation. In quiet darkness, with cool salty air sharpening the quality of her thinking, she considers her future.
To read on, click 9.28 Future in her Arms
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