The Happy Mastermind Gardener
Driving all the way to Warwick Neck Avenue on a cozy afternoon, the Narragansett Bay greeted my eyes. In a moment, I saw my dear old friend, William, standing in front of his homestead and waving at me. The contemporary, two-story house is situated on an exuberant green lot, and towering pine trees stand erect on the adjacencies. The spacious lawns are silky and green; luxuriant and well-spaced flowerbeds are elaborately landscaped. William had the same buzzcut hairstyle as usual, and his face was glowing with health. In response to how healthy he looked, he replied, “It’s thanks to being a vegetarian; it purifies my soul and my body.” With a sunny, smiling face, William led me into the courtyard. We chatted and strolled along the zigzag path to a small and exquisite pond; a school of koi fish leisurely swam in the water. He stopped and watched the fish as if deep in thought, and he said, “I am a landscape gardener. I get dirty every day, work hard, learn hard, design hard, and everything is hard. However, I am as happy as a clam and very proud of being a gardener.” This was very interesting to hear because the William I knew many years ago was very different from the man that stood before me now. I was curious about what the reason was for why he changed from a cynical medical technician into a happy horticulturist. He sensed the many question marks in my eyes.
William majored in virology and immunology and specialized in cells and virus cultures. He was a lab technician and also a teaching and research assistant at a college. In 1997 he went to UBC ( University of British Columbia , Vancouver) graduate school to pursuit his Ph.D. degree. Later, he realized that he was unable to kill animals because his hands seriously and involuntarily shivered. He could still remember that whenever he grabbed a mouse, his hands were shaking. He could not handle the terrible and cruel animal tests, like killing or sucking the abdominal fluid from a mouse, or puncturing a hole in a rabbit's ear. He suffered from the animal experiments, and it was a terrible nightmare. He dropped out of school and said goodbye to his Doctorate degree.
After he endured the experience at UBC, William started to think about the rights of humans to kill animals. He discovered great enthusiasm and passion in exploring the meaning and value of life. He realized that he should do something meaningful to cultivate himself and be benevolent. Through studying the dogma of Buddhism, he began to believe in reincarnation and transmigration of the soul; therefore, he chose to be a vegetarian. He said, "Being born into the secular world, we must go through the cycle of birth, aging, sickness and death, as well as all the pain. We can’t escape from what we are sure to encounter in our life. We deserve whatever we do. What goes around comes around, and we reap what we sow, even in our next life.”
He regretted the waste of his life, which he had already devoted much to biotechnology. But he knew that he had to change, and it was time. He got a spiritual inspiration to study in the program of Landscaping and Horticulture in Toronto . After graduating, he was hired by the city of Vaughan , north of Toronto , and he worked as a gardener. He recalled that he received the highest compliment and appreciations from the mayor and the residents of Vaughan City on the inauguration of his park projects. It was the most meaningful job that he ever had. All the flowers and trees in his parks were full of spirit and soul, and the vitality and the great vigor scattered on each corner as well. The elaborately landscaped gardens healed not only the folks with depression, but also William himself. Actually, he never expected this great feedback from his gardens, which were a contribution to “Horticulture Therapy.”
William is a pious Buddhist. He advocates industry and thrift. He does not pay attention to fashion, and he practices the dogma in his daily life. He said smilingly, “I work as hard as a horse, and I eat like a cow or ox.” I laughed at this, and he explained that cows and oxen are vegetarians. He went on to say that, “In my heart, I am a monk.” Then, knowing it was his turn to repay an obligation, he moved back to Rhode Island to care for his aging parents.
To William, everything happens for a reason. Coincidences do not really exist; it is all cause and effect, he deeply believes. Sometimes, struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If God allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as we could have been. From William, I learned to take initiative, be positive, and to find a soul mate. God bless you, William.
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