Our morning was spent on the beach, floating in the shallows of the gulf. We talked about our plans for the rest of the trip and our plans for the rest of life. We reminisced on our days in Denver and in Eastern Europe. We promised ourselves things we would do when we got home and things we wouldn’t. The warm waters of the Gulf of Thailand were a great place to make plans.
After showering off sweat, salt, and sand, we decided to do something different tonight. There was a famous Buddha statue on the island of Ko Samui, and after our powerful experience in Chiang Mai, we were interested in seeing it. It took some negotiating, but we found a taxi that would take us there for six dollars. We were about halfway there and, like clockwork, the rain showed up. The truck was covered with a makeshift tarp, but it didn’t even come close to keeping us dry.
The driver must have put two and two together and asked us if we needed a ride back. We said yes, and he agreed to wait for us.
The temple area was set up like a courtyard, with meditation altars and small temples on both sides. In front of us was a golden staircase that led up to a forty-foot gold Buddha statue sitting cross-legged. The cold rain poured down on us, but we were mesmerized by the beauty of this forty-three-year-old relic. It was almost eerie in the darkness, but we felt safe with the large Buddha looking down on us. I heard a noise and turned to see an old monk sweeping one of the altars. He looked over at us and we locked eyes. He gave me a smile that could only be described as pure peacefulness. The aura of positive energy he put off warmed me in the cold rain, and I smiled back. He continued to sweep, and I could tell he was happier sweeping rain off these temple steps than many people were ever. I bottled up as much energy as I could, and we raced back to the taxi, avoiding as many puddles as possible.
The taxi driver waved when he saw us and started the truck once again.
“I am glad you got to see the Buddha. Would you like to see another great temple?”
Normally, I would think he was just trying to extend our fare, but for some reason, I trusted this guy, and the people of this country in general. “Sure, that sounds awesome,” we said in unison—for once.
He drove us across the island to a temple next to a Buddha. Both were on a platform out over the water and had a long walkway leading up to them. We walked in the pouring rain out to the large majestic Buddha, where we heard a sound coming from the temple. I looked across the water and saw dozens of monks singing in prayer inside. Standing in the cold rain, the dark, stormy sky sitting closely above, and listening to monks recite a prayer was beyond powerful and very spiritual.
This was a moment I would never forget. The combination of the monks’ prayers and the rain bouncing off the water produced a natural music that put me into a deep trance. I let the music take me away and stared at the massive Buddha in front of me. I felt wholesome, I felt positive, and I felt cleansed. It was as if my life were starting from this point forward, and everything that had happened up until now was simply to get me to this moment. The small things disappeared, and the clouded space in my mind clogged with meaningless media and social norms was pushed away by this feeling of pureness. I was refreshed and energized. Then the monks stopped praying. The rain stopped moments later.
I opened my eyes. Ash was staring at me, intrigued by my absence and asking if I was okay.
“I’ve never been better,” I told her.