The other night, I was talking to Melissa about Alan Watts and "Jesus and His Religion or the Religion About Him". I thought she'd be interested in what he had to say, and thankfully I was right. I told her I'd give her a copy of it sometime.
Tonight at work, I intended to give it to her, but I'd forgotten the CD at Brandon's. She was a little surprised to find out it was a CD and not a book I was letting her have, but I did my best to try and convey that he is/was an awesome speaker. Sadly, along with the CD, I also forgot the book that I was going to read at work once she left. Melissa had brought a very interesting book with her, however: America's Alternative Religions. Since she was leaving in just a few minutes, she offered to let me borrow it, and just return it to her tomorrow. I thanked her, and later on in the evening, I was very glad I had it...it was a slow night.
So, I opened the book and looked at the table of contents. There was a section on Asian religions in America, and one article on Buddhism caught my eye. About half way through reading it I came across this passage:
This exciting intellectual atmosphere surrounding Zen was encouraged by the prolific writings of two persons in particular. Alan Watts, and Englishman who was a convert to Buddhism and later and Episcopal priest...wrote several books on Zen, relating it to art, psychotherapy and the life of the mind...He also had success as a lecturer.
The article goes on a little more, but I stopped there, underlined it, and called Brandon to make sure he brought the CD with him, because now I had the perfect place to put it for her. A little synchronocity will always make my day, and with any luck, it will make Mel's too.
P.S.-- If you were wondering who they said was the other prolific writer, it was Daisetz T. Suzuki, a Rinzai Zen monk who wrote in English for Western audiences.
