The Dalai Lama Visits Idaho

On September 11, 2005 the Dalai Lama commemorated the fourth anniversary of 9/11 with a nationally televised addressed on CNN. Our community experienced so much more...

On the fourth anniversary commemorating 9/11, the Dalai Lama gave a live address with a question and answer session that was televised nationally on CNN. Despite the sadness of the occasion, it was a perfect day in our mountains. The sun was bright, there was not a cloud in the sky and a sweet cool breeze joined us every once in awhile. His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, seemed to be enjoying the beauty of the day just as much as the thousands of audience members that clung to his every word. And his laughter, oh that laugher! There is simply nothing else like it! It was an idyllic day, better than almost any I can recall…

The night before Willie Nelson had given a concert. Reportedly, Willie was performing as a personal request from His Holiness, as the two men are good friends. It seems like a proper match to me. Although, I did not attend the show, I truly wish I had been there. The Dalai Lama was in attendance with several of his elder monks. They were in full religious dress and reportedly enjoyed themselves very much. Oh, how I wish I could have seen it.

I should have known better. A week or so earlier at the Crosby, Stills and Nash concert, Lance Armstrong brought out Sheryl Crow for a dance. She joined the trio to sing “Love the One You’re With, “ but did not seem to know or could recall the words. Come on, the lyrics are not that hard. But the next day, the papers reported that earlier that evening Lance and Sheryl had gotten engaged; so lets give her an out. Now Sheryl and Lance are not quite as exciting (despite their engagement and then the cancellation) as seeing His Holiness at a Willie Nelson concert, but I should know by now that anything can happen in Idaho.