Cold Reality

In our lineage, priests, when not in robes, wear blue, black or gray clothing with no regular shirt collars but only crew or band collars.  It's not a difficult dress code to maintain, and I find that for me it reinforces the idea that my life – my whole life – is now lived as a priest. 

So yesterday I saw a priest of our lineage in lay attire.  It's not the first time I've seen him dressed like a layman, either. 

I don't know what to say, really.  It's sad on so many levels: for him, for me, for the local sangha, for the lineage, for the Dharma.  So very sad.

I don't know what to say.