When
I was in Ireland, to go around preaching, you know, a taxi driver,
I asked him, I said: "Long time I didn't eat Christmas pudding.
I miss it very much. Do you know if there is anywhere we can have
Christmas pudding and tea?" And he took me in the middle
of the park somewhere next to Dublin, Oh, I eat 3, 4 heaps and
he paid for them all. Yeah, but of course, I gave him tip more
generous to cover it. Wow! That was the best Christmas pudding
that I ever ate in my whole life. It was a cold day, and I traveled
alone and hungry, and I haven't eaten it for years and it was
a real Christmas pudding and it was not on Christmas, that was
the best thing about it. And afterwards he said, "Are you
the Master Ching Hai?" He should have asked me before that
because I ate four heaps of Christmas pudding. And I was enjoying
my anonymity. Let my hair down, Eat the way I should and drink
three cups of tea. So, anyway, I don't say anything any more but
I feel so embarrassed. He must have sit there, watching me in
all amusement. Look at that Supreme Master, the way she eats her
Christmas pudding like a hungry ghost!
Master
has many dreams and aspirations, but there are not enough people
with the same noble ideals. She has these encouraging words to share
with us: As long as we stand firmly by our ideals, we can be great.
That is the way with all great people, whose greatness comes from
their firm adherence to their ideals, original goals and aspirations.
If we do not pursue our goals to the very end, then we will achieve
nothing. We can be great if we work with steady dedication.