13 June 2006 * Chengdu

1. The Panda's Dream

Redbird shouts from the human wiretree: "Yellowman! Yellowman!" I look to find yellowman with his dart straw hiding in a food grove. He sees me with his black longeyes, and he takes up his dartstraw. I must hide quickly. So, I slide down the food stalks…and…I can fly over whispering green leaves of bamboo, fly like Redbird.

But yellowman is following! I must swim. So I swim into a hidden pool, lined with Gladiolas, gold and orange. Bluefish points his fin….yellowman is lurking above the pool. I must hold my breath. But…I...must...breathe. Finally, I surface…and I hear the shout of the dart stick…startling me awake…and…I am in my pen, …resting on a flat soft wood platform. Tourists are clapping their hands.

2. Anniversary

It is one year since my mother died, and we've spent this day in Chengdu, mindful of mom/grand-mom throughout the activities of this day. We visited the Panda Research Base, which mom would have enjoyed. She would have taken us there if she could. It's a lovely panda zoo midst bamboo groves. We shot a lot of pictures, some of which would be suitable material for a Jacqueline painting.

We went to Tara's school, wandered through the student cafeteria with its orange plastic chairs, and we chatted with the International Program office staff. Mom would not have chosen either of these activities, nor would she have wanted to eat at the loud little TV-blaring street-side restaurant where we sampled wontons and noodle soup for lunch.

But mom would have enjoyed watching the World Cup game, Italy vs. Ghana, which we sat through back in our room. (Italy outclassed and outscored Ghana, 2-0.)

Mom would be very happy with Tessa, watching her so bright and interested: writing a nice letter to Ms. Waterfield and her SMS gang; completing her Kumon homework; starting to learn some Chinese as she grows and blossoms day-by-day. Mom never got the baby daughter she and Mason had hoped for, but she loved her grand and great grand daughters very much!

Tessa made the wish of aspiration for mom after we did our Chenrezi practice for her: "May she be reborn in the pure realm that daddy wants to go to, or may she even become a Buddha!"