the world

Today, some of you may know, is Loy Krathong. In case you were like me and didn't know until Janelle told you, Loy Krathong is a Thai Holiday-ish:

“Loi Krathong” is traditionally performed on the full moon night of the twelfth lunar month, which usually falls on some day in November. The floating of a ‘Krathong' – a banana–leaf cup – is intended to honor and thank the Goddess of Water, Phra Mae Khongkha. Many Thai believe that floating a krathong will create good luck, and apart from venerating the Buddha with light (the candle on the raft), the act of floating away the candle raft is symbolic of letting go of all one's grudges, anger and defilements, so that one can start life afresh on a better foot. People will also cut their fingernails and hair and add them to the raft as a symbol of letting go of the bad parts of oneself.

So tonight, she and I and anyone else who wants to are going to create our own little rafts. We probably will not fill them with our fingernails and hair, but you never know how crazy things might get. Hopefully the rain holds off so we can float them down City Creek. Either way, I'm excited because I have SO many defilements to get rid of...