Spotlight on Our Sangha: Bridget

I was so inspired by my mom’s faith when she was dying. I thought, I want to be like that, too. That’s when I stumbled on Buddhism. Then I became close with a Buddhist practitioner, Paul, who had been around the teachings for years. He really showed me what this practice is all about. He had what I think of as a loving, steady patience.

When he found out he was going to die, it really turned the switch up a notch for him to practice Dharma even more seriously. There was not a lot of anxiety — I saw a very peaceful person whose mind got stronger the more his body deteriorated.

I remember him saying he wished he could give me the insight that all this stuff doesn’t matter — all the things I was worried about and the things I thought should happen weren’t important. He was so at peace with life.

People used to come up to him and say “I’m sorry you’re dying” and he’d say “I’m sorry you don’t think you are!” He’d hit you with his incredible wisdom right in the middle of your heart.