At that first meeting, Reverend Masuda handed me a book. He asked me to read each chapter daily and come to the Dharma Center after completing each one. The book was Buddhism for Today, written by Founder Nikkyo Niwano. I read each chapter with excitement, and every day, I went to the Dharma Center to discuss the book's contents. I truly enjoyed these sessions. Reverend Masuda taught me that “life is suffering,” and because of the suffering, we are able to stop, think, and im

I abused the trust others placed in me, and I neglected to make time with my daughter a priority. I abused my body, my temple. I made choices I was deeply ashamed of, which led to my divorce after almost fifteen years of marriage. Following the divorce, I entered a very dark period in my life and turned to alcohol and drugs for comfort.

My interest in Buddhism began around the time I retired from the Air Force in 1992, when I started a career as a pilot with Southwest Airlines.