On the curved lower path of the park, near the ever turning water wheel, I met a most intriguing man.

He had passed me earlier, his stride and enthusiasm outpacing mine.

We now were face to face and I smiled and said "Hello".

He gave me back the widest smile imaginable, threw his arms wide and said, "Do you feel it?"

I took a breath, held my smile and said, "I'm not sure".  I felt it was important to not give the wrong answer.

He spun around slowly, arms wide, head back and said "Life, the trees, the sun, the earth, don't you feel it?"

Now my smile widened and I said, "Yes, I do."

"It is the morning light." he explained; "The morning light signifies life and vitality.  If you begin your day with the morning sun the rest of your day will be filled with peace."

I nodded in agreement and this encouraged him to continue.

"In my culture it is important to begin your day walking barefoot on the earth." He pointed to the ground and continued with "Here, you cannot do that, there are too many ways to damage your feet."

He was Chinese and has been in this country for almost twenty years.  I was thinking he was around 35.  He was extremely fit looking; relatively tall and slender.  His close cropped hair was jet black save for a few strands of white.

Just then a big eyed chipmunk scurried past.  He studied it as it passed and then spoke again.

"I'm a vegan.  I look at that chipmunk and see its two eyes and know it has a soul."

I continued to look at him, silently waiting for him to continue.

"When I was a young man I ate meat.  I ate sugar and drank soda but I paid a price."  His smile faltered a bit and I could tell he was having a private moment so did not ask him about the price he paid.  Instead I said, "You said 'when I was a young man'....how old are you?  You look like a young man now."

He laughed and said, "You guess".

Well, I already thought he was around 35 and when people ask me to guess their age I always subtract a few years out of politeness so I said "Around 30".

He smiled proudly and said "I am almost 60."

I truly was stunned.  It wasn't just the lack of lines or sags in his face, it was his whole manner, his whole way of being that led me to think of him as young.  He had that freedom of movement, the natural physical grace of the young.

"I'm shocked." I replied.  "Trust me, I believe you but it is hard to accept, you just don't look it."

He spoke earnestly for the next 10 minutes.  I cannot remember his exact words but to sum it up; this man meditates every morning after he walks in the morning light.  He also walks in the evening light but never in the midday sun.  He said something about the midday sun draining energy.  He drinks a lot of pure water and has been a vegan since 1994.

"When I first stopped eating meat I felt as though I was constantly hungry.  It took me almost a year for my body to adjust.  Now if I try to eat meat my body rebels; it wont accept the meat."  As he told me this he touched his gathered fingers to his mouth and shook his head from side to side.

"You must give up meat, sugar, dairy and start meditating every day."  He said this with such earnestness and sincerity I found myself shaking my head "yes".

We parted ways, he left with a happy step and jaunty air and I left with deep thoughts and questions.