Speaking to us today: Arran Stephens, owner/founder (with his wife, Ratana) of Nature's Path, the largest organic foods company in Canada! He has received numerous awards for his efforts advocating that we leave our living earth better than we found it and is the author of the newly released book "The Compassionate Diet" (with Eliot Jay Rosen) now available through Amazon, all of whose proceeds are donated to charitable organizations.
Arran's son, Arjan and his wife (celebrating their one year wedding anniversary)
Rimjhim, daughter of Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj. They live in Vancouver, B.C. Our guinea pig sanctuary/hospice was mom's wedding gift to them. They asked their friends around the world to do something kind for others instead of buying them wedding presents so people all around the world
DID!
EXTRAORDINARY COUPLE!
Friends mom hasn't seen in a long time all gathered together beneath the orchard trees and mom was so happy to see them her hands shook with emotion; not the greatest photo but happy faces all 'round!
Today was the 25th Anniversary of the Sawan Kirpal Meditation Center in Birch Bay, WA where mom learned the meditation she practices today. Arran Stephens, Founder/Owner of Nature's Path Organic Food Company in Vancouver, B.C. recounted to all how the Center was established from its earliest days...how terrified locals originally "asked if they were cannibals who ate their children" when a
very unusual newspaper article broke the story of who had purchased the property! Locals had mom's friends confused with...well, some "cannibals who ate their children" although exactly
who those cannibals were was never exactly disclosed. Apparently, the news reporter was a little #?$%#@!?
The first directors of the center, Barbara and Dieter Schugt (RIP) were close friends of mom's and Barbara still is. Dieter went on to become the beloved mayor of Blaine, WA, and the Center is now a much sought-after haven and refuge enjoyed by all who come, irregardless of race, religion, education, politics...here we are all friends.
(Dieter was so well respected and admired that one summer mom and bff Susan were coming off Mt. Baker when some older climbers were throwing their ice axes into the car next to them. Mom figured they were locals and asked where they lived: Blaine. They also knew Dieter and Barbara, so when mom shared her close friendship with the Schugts, they invited mom and Susan to dine with them after the climb, but Susan had to return to Seattle...shucks! (This year 50 feet of snow
and you can't get up there
without an ice axe! TRANSLATE: MOM AIN'T GOIN' CUZ IT HATH BEEN DECREED THAT NOBODY GIVIN' OUR MOMMA NO ICE AXE!)
All we know about meditation is this:
When mom left home today she felt very, very sad.
(Calvin and me having our bone diseases.)
When mom came
home tonight she was real happy and peaceful inside.
The current directors of the Center, Sandy and Ron Kulman are also wonderful friends who
never let mom come home empty-handed, so watermelon for us piggies TONIGHT: "SQUEEEEEE!"
We don't know much, but we do know
this: mom + meditation = Big HAPPY.
And
always treats for us! Ommm...nom-nom-nom, chomp, slirpy watermelon!
