May all People Shine! May all Life Shine!

"May all people shine! 
May all Life shine!" 

"This cry of love for humanity 
is the cry of the Lotus Sutra. 
It is the cry of those who understand 
the true aspect of all phenomenon. 
Buddhism exists to enable all people 
to share in the boundless joy of life. "

From The Heart of the Lotus Sutra, by Daisaku Ikeda. 

Today it is sunny in the Midwest. It will be almost 50 degrees...and the snow is melting. 

Every day we are challenging our lives through chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. We chant to change from within. 

Every day I chant to change whatever I need to change in my own life so that I can make my environment shine...continue to advance...continue to help others...continue to live out my vow of kosen rufu - a world where everyone shines! 
When I see that my life is not my life alone, that it is also a gift to the world, then days of low-grade anxiety, like yesterday, can just pass, and I can move on. 
Yesterday was the ten year anniversary of the day my beloved sister-in-law Marla died. 
We met in our twenties when we married brothers. We raised our kids together. She lived in LA and I was in San Francisco. Our two families spent weeks at a time traveling in California - camping all over the Sierra mountains. Having a blast. We were supposed to grow old together, laughing about our younger days, laughing as only the two of us could laugh. 
March 10th is a date for me to honor her and chant in appreciation for her life. I came home and chanted for two more hours last night and feel refreshed and ready to go today. 

The power of Daimoku is vast. It can heal anything. As long as we do it. That's the thing. That's the most important part. We need to chant! That's what makes us warriors. That's what makes us strong. 

My hope for you today - this day - is that you chant with all your heart. Tell the Gohonzon - your life - how you feel and tell your life what you want. Keep going. 

Don't ever give up!