Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 112567 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 563(@200wpm)___ 450(@250wpm)___ 375(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112567 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 563(@200wpm)___ 450(@250wpm)___ 375(@300wpm)
Who’s coming that would scare this huge man?
I turned back to the wooden door. The man with glasses opened the door up wider and continued his exchange with Leo. Next, he gestured for the monks and Leo to enter.
They did.
Song pointed. “Go on. We don’t have much time.”
Jesus, help me. I’m really going to do this.
I stepped through next.
To my surprise, the door led us to an elegant private room with only one table in the center. White chrysanthemums filled a blue porcelain vase and decorated the table. Blue lanterns hung from high wood ceilings.
Leo and the monks took off their shoes and socks. Next, they placed their socks in their shoes. Then, they put them on a red lacquered shelf with plum blossoms and birds painted all over it.
I followed not wanting to be the only crazy person wearing sneakers.
When my bare feet pressed against the warm, polished wood floor, the man with glasses smiled at me. “Thank you.”
He guided us past the luxurious room and down a mahogany wood hall.
Birds chirped up ahead.
Where is this going?
Someone had cut a massive circle in a mahogany wall. It was five feet long and wide.
I’d never seen anything like this before. In order to go through it, we had to lift our feet and step over. Many of the monks ducked.
For me, it was like walking through a magical portal.
The circular entrance led us to a huge courtyard.
I gasped at the sight.
Well. . .this is a good sign.
I stepped onto a bridge. Chilly stone pressed against the bottoms of my feet. We continued. The bridge went over the pond and then stopped. I walked onto the thick, soft carpet of grass. The warmth of the earth instantly comforted me.
Twisting around, I took in everything.
The courtyard was outlined by four bubbling rock walls and was heavily-shaded with trees.
I studied the walls wondering where the water came from. Somewhere at the top of each of these walls there must’ve been a hole to allow water to emerge, trickle down the stones, and drip into the pond.
The water’s light gurgling provided a soothing sound among the calming scene.
I wasn’t expecting this.
All around the thick grassy ground, exotic flowers grew everywhere with no rhyme or reason. The flowery fragrance of jasmine rode the breeze.
Odd trees towered throughout the area. They reminded me of evergreen trees, but they had these rugged, flat-crowned tops.
Around six birds played and flew around the trees. I’d never seen birds like these. They were green with red and white bellies.
Near the tree, there was only one table with two chairs in the center.
Song walked over to the table and stopped by some of the other monks that stood a few feet away from it and kept guard.
Leo got to my side. “Do you like it?”
“Yes. I had no idea something this nice existed in Glory.”
“Sometimes you have to go down a dark path to see the light.”
“I don’t know about that, but it’s beautiful.”
Leo chuckled. “Have you ever seen a garden that was so lovely?”
“No.”
“I have an amazing one at my house.” He walked over to the winding koi pond. “Chinese gardens look different from the ones you’re used to in America. No neat rows of flowers. No statues or sculpted fountains.”
I followed him and gazed down at the water.
There were so many koi swimming in the clear bubbling pond.
At first, I noticed the classic koi—diamond white scales with reddish orange patterns. Some of the koi had shiny platinum skin and fins with deep black spots around the heads. There were also fully gold ones. Others were white, red, and black.
“When it comes to our gardens, we don’t like to bend the natural world to our human ideas of order.” Leo kneeled and touched the pond’s surface.
The water rippled.
Several gold koi swam to that area, probably expecting food.
Leo grinned at them. “Earth is allowed to do what it wants. This maintains the harmony between nature and man.”
Movement sounded behind me.
A women stepped out, wearing a white dress and carrying a tea pot. Another woman followed with two tiny cups. An herbal aroma filled the air as they set the cups and tea pot at the table near the odd trees.
Leo rose, walked over to the table, and sat down at one end. “In ancient times, emperors had beautiful gardens built for pleasure, but mainly they sought to impress.”
I went over to the table and sat in the empty seat across from him. “Who did the emperors want to impress?”
“Scholars, poets, and anybody deemed important at the time.” He picked up the tea pot. “You’ll love this meal. Chef Yau is a poet when it comes to food.”
He poured me a cup. “You’re from Glory?”
“Born and raised.” I picked up my cup and sniffed it. An herbal fragrance filled my nostrils.
Leo watched me hold the cup. “I lived in Glory a long time ago with my wife and children.”