Sabaydii Kongkeo et all,

Here is the piece of writing that I promised. It is supposed to be posted
today but I just finished writting it moments ago.  I have to admit that
it is rather dry and hastely done. So I would very much like Kongkeo
and/or Adisack to revise it and post it for me.

It has be 13 years since I wrote my last essay, and it shows.:)

Hak phaang,
Somvay

-------------- Beginning of the essay ---------------------------
"Why do we have to sit in that uncomfortable position for a long time and
listen to something that we don't understand?" asked my seven-years-old
daughter on our way back from the Lao Buddhist temple.  My daughter was 
referring to the way we sat on the Wat's hard floor with both legs resting
on one side of our body (nang phapheb) with the palms of our hand held 
together and listened to the monks chanting those Pali words.
My daughter question caught me by surprise.
This type of question would never pop up in my mind when I was her age.
If I asked my parents the same question back then, the answer would be
" You are too young to understand. Wait until you get a little bit older."
I know this kind of answer would not satisfy my daughter's curiosity,
so I tried a bit harder to come up with a "better" explanation.

I grew up in a typical Lao village where the temple is the center of people's
life. Lao Buddhism is not just part of our culture, it IS Lao culture.
I was taught that nothing in this world truly belong to us, not even our
own body which is lend to us by Mother Nature.  And Mother Nature will
reclaim what is rightfully hers in due time. Life is a cycle of birth and
rebirth until our soul finds the way to reach the ultimate goal 
- the enlightment. According to the law of Karma, personal circumstances
are direct results of individual actions in the past.  A person is reborn 
to pay back his/her sinful debts, and to benefit from the merit
gained from the previous life, and to be given the opportunity to
accumulate more merit to assure the rebirth that would create favorable
condition towards enlightment.  And one way (but not the only way) to acquire
merit is to attend the Buddhist temple.

I could have told my daughter what had just past through my mind. But that
still doesn't explain why we have to sit on the hard floor and listen to
the Pali words. Like all other religions, there is no scientific or logical
explanation to it.  Lao Buddhism is practiced this way for generations.
The only big difference is we are now practicing it in a "new" land 
dominated by other types of religions.  In order for Lao Buddhism to
survive, it may have to change.  Perhaps in the near future, we will sit
in the chair instead of the hard floor.  And perhaps, most if not all of
the chantings will be done in English to accommodate those who are
born and raised here in the US.  But perhaps, nothing will change at all.
But if not, will Lao Buddhism survive after the older generation is gone?
More questions were poping up in my mind.

"You are going too fast.  Slow down!", my wife finally woke me up.
"Yes, Dad, and you haven't answer my question yet," added my daughter.
" You are too young to understand.  Wait until you get a little bit older"
was my reply.

------------------- End of essay ----------------------------------------