Writing Wake is one of the most enriching experiences I've had. I would rank it a notch above having gone through medical school and grueling post-graduate medical residency and fellowship. Transferring my thoughts and Buddhist beliefs into words and wove them into stories gave me joy and meaning. That said, the most extraordinary thing about Wake is how it connected me with one of my heroes, Jack Kornfield.
Those of you who follow Jack's work know that he is an outstanding Theravada Buddhist teacher and a fantastic storyteller. His teachings are often filled with wonderful stories that highlight the points he makes. The stories always leave the readers/listeners with higher clarity and understanding as they stay engaged. I have to admit that when I was writing the stories in Wake, I often thought of how Jack would have rendered the same salient points. I could only hope that my finished products were half as decent.
When Wake was first published, I sent emails to many of the Buddhist teachers I admire and asked that they review my book. Of the 20-plus emails I sent out, four returned. Jack's reply was one of them. You could only imagine the excitement I had when I saw his name in my mailbox. The email came from Jack, not his assistant or agent. It's Jack Kornfield himself! Jack kindly agreed to read my book. I mailed him a copy without much expectation. Jack is a busy person and I am no one important. My book was just one of the many books Jack was asked to review.
To my surprise and delight, Jack replied 2 days after he received the book. He had the kindest thing to say about it. (You can see what Jack thinks about Wake on the main page.) To me, this is enough. My hero has read my book and he thinks it's a worthy read.
Enough. Enough now.
Metta and much care to all of you.