Being the First at Wat Kudee Dao on Its Opening Morning

Being the first at Wat Kudee Dao on its opening morning – a morning that was more than just gathering research data. "Sometimes being the 'first' isn't about rushing." Some mornings... have a special essence without us even realizing it. At 5 a.m. one morning, I woke up unusually early. After showering and offering alms, I planned to drive out to collect research data at dawn, hoping to make the most of my time. But as I left home, I felt that the morning was "too early" in an inexplicable way. The streets were still quiet, the sky hadn't fully opened, and I wasn't ready to start the day in a rush. So, I decided to turn the car... towards Wat Kudee Dao, a temple I hadn't visited more than two or three times in the past twenty years. It’s a temple with a quiet charm, lingering faintly in my memory. But this time was different. Around 8 a.m., I arrived at the temple entrance and saw the temple staff standing there, visibly excited. They told me with a delighted tone, "Today is the first day the temple officially opens for visitors." In that moment of coincidence, I unintentionally became the "first." The first to purchase an entry ticket to Wat Kudee Dao, the first to step into the temple on this historic day for this significant ancient site, and the first to witness the joyful smiles of the staff, who were equally thrilled. Sometimes being the "first" isn't about rushing or trying to be ahead of others. It's about "arriving at the right moment." And when that moment comes, it's inevitable that we become the first.