my impression of His Holiness

the moment His Holiness come into my sight in real person, i thought, all these pictures i've seen don't do him justice at all. there's this lightness in his being that photos can't capture. and this sweet spark from his eyes, his smile. and, o yes, his laughter. infectious, splashing with mischief. 

the interviewer asked him, what do you remember from your childhood? he smiled and said, they showed me hollywood movies and the ones i liked most were war movies, and imagine, they gave a nobel peace price to someone who like war moves, ha-ha-ha.

his simplicity. stunning. his response to the question, how do you want to be remembered? without any pause, he answered, a simple buddist monk.

someone in the audience asked, do you regret not having family, children? with great compassion and his voice sparkling with humor His Holiness said, i don't have to worry giving them education, i don't have to take care of them when they are sick, i don't have to get up in the middle of the night. then, more of his signature high-pitched, open-hearted laughter.

he's the real thing. it is said that it takes lifetimes of merits to have the great fortune to come into the presence of a saint. have i accumulated lifetimes of merits? i don't know. but, he's definitely a saint. how fortunate i am.