Issue 1

A Note from the Editor

Hi. For those who don’t know who I am, I am the woman who sits on a stool during our meetings. I have been with Open Door for less than eighteen months. Hard to believe it took over a month to work up the courage to come to a Wednesday night sit.

Being new, not being able to sit on a cushion like everyone else made me feel like I was in high school all over again. I remember sitting against the cabinets in the back of the Forest Avenue location with everyone sitting on cushions in front of me. Someone walked over, introduced themselves and welcomed me, then someone else brought their chair closer, so I wasn’t alone in no-man’s land.

I couldn’t believe it. I came looking for refuge, to feel welcome, for a place to find a new peace. I found that and so much more, immediately feeling at ease, safe and accepted.

I thought this newsletter would be a great way to get to know one another beyond the cushion. We are a sangha, coming together weekly, and we are cordial, but it’s not often that we have time for conversation. How much do we know about one another? Some of us might like it that way, while others may want a deeper connection. This newsletter is a way to foster that connection, sharing information about members, upcoming events, and links to things found interesting.

In this issue, Lynn Teo shares a favorite recipe, Max Bowen gives a book review, and Shari Robinson interviews long time ODMC member TerryAnn Scriven.

This newsletter is a work in progress. If you have questions or suggestions, or want to write something, please reach out barbmalinowski13@gmail.com, including ODMC in the subject line. For the next issue, I would love to include photos of sangha pets, feel free to start sending photos my way. If you want to share a story, even better!

Thank you to the Communications Committee and The Steering Circle for believing in this project and working with me to make it a reality.

Barbara Malinowski

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