I grew up in a concrete (cement) block house in South Florida. I remember sun, surf, beach sand, climbing trees, skating down sidewalks, and my brother and I riding our bikes at breakneck speed through the neighborhood flying past mango and palm trees.

It was a fun time playing, going to school and learning values from my parents. It led me to pursue my North Star living with purpose and continually moving in the right direction.

When I first watched the Cement Buddha story, it was remarkable; the second time, I began to feel the cement cracking; and the third time, I felt a deep curiosity to look at all areas of my existence for the cement.

That’s the interesting thing about cement which is defined as a bonding, sealant, or element that unites a group of people. Today cement is everywhere! From the raw materials of clayey limestone, volcanic ash, crushed rock, and fly ash to the chemical transformation resulting in a substance known as clinker which is ground down to form cement, I wondered…”When do we get ground down?”

With gratitude to the creators of MKE, I begin to look at, and experience, not only my North Star, but my true dharma.