The Book of Joy

available for each moment and each person we encounter, untethered by
the ruminating memories of the past and not lured by the anticipatory
worry about the future.
The lunch began by returning to the theme of birthdays, aging, and
mortality.
“I went to see a German specialist for knees,” the Dalai Lama said.
“He found my physical condition very good. And then he told me my
knees were the problem. He said you are not eighteen years old but eighty
years old, so nothing much can be done. I really felt that was a great
teaching. It is very important to think about impermanence. He reminds
me I’m eighty years old. That’s wonderful. But, my friend, you are even
older than me.”
“Are you showing off?” the Archbishop said.
“My own kitchen made this,” the Dalai Lama said as he offered a
piece of bread to his honored guest.
“You put your fingers on the bread and think I should eat it?”
Archbishop responded. “I like this one,” Archbishop Tutu said, passing
over the multigrain for the white bread, glancing over at his American
doctor with a smile.
“The media at the airport said, ‘You must be very happy to have
Archbishop Tutu visiting,’” the Dalai Lama said. “I told them, ‘Yes,
indeed, I am very happy. I am receiving one of my very good friends.
Firstly, on the human level, he is a very good human being. Secondly, he
is a religious leader, a serious practitioner who respects different
religious traditions. Then thirdly, and most importantly, he is my very,
very close friend.’”
“You are just flattering me.”
“So then I told them that you often used to describe me as a
mischievous person and so I said I also consider you a mischievous
person. The meeting of two mischievous people is wonderful. So, very
happy reunion.” They both laughed.
Now the Archbishop crossed himself and said a prayer before eating
his bread.
“Is it okay? Temperature is okay?” the Dalai Lama asked. It did not