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The following interview was originally published in the Fall 2000 Issue of Zen Bow.
ZB: How long have you been a member of the Zen Center?
Lou: I came to the Madison affiliate nineteen years ago. Actually, in
1966/7, I was a member of a Yasutani-roshi group in Philadelphia. Later in
1967, I went to Vietnam with the Quakers, and when I came back, after a
couple of painful years, I joined the group in Madison. I was in Vietnam
and Laos for four years each. That's where I met my wife, Eryl, who is now a
Rochester Zen Center trustee. I met her when she came from England to join
the Quaker group in Asia. I want to say that after my return to sitting in
Madison, I never felt the need to visit another bar!
ZB: How did you get into construction?
Lou: I fell into construction about fifteen years ago. I had done a little
woodworking and then went off on my own as a contractor doing small, mostly
residential remodeling jobs - never new homes. I chose to start my own
construction business, basically so I could have the freedom to do Zen
training and sesshins.
Although construction seemed like an accidental occupation, it must be in my
blood. My grandfather was a carpenter, cabinetmaker, and house-builder, and
my brother also ended up in construction.
ZB: Isn't building something like Chapin Mill a lot different from
remodeling?
Lou: No, in fact remodeling is the hardest thing in construction - there
are many, many more problems to solve than with new construction. But though
the scale is larger on this project, the kinds of things we do are the same.
Zen Bow: How about your family?
Lou: Eryl and I have two children: Rhiannon, who is twenty-eight and works
in the financial sector in New York City, and David, twenty-one, who is in
the engineering school at Colorado University, Boulder. I'll be home to see
them for the holidays, and then will be back at Chapin Mill in January right
after Rohatsu sesshin.
ZB: The Sangha is exceedingly grateful for all the months of work you are
donating to Chapin Mill. How did you decide to move from Madison to work on
this project?
Lou: Long ago, I realized that working here would be a great way to
contribute to Chapin Mill. We can't make a big monetary contribution and
this is a way to help. I'm so grateful for sesshin, and I want to see that
tradition continue as a way of liberation for others. Believe me, I'm not
doing anyone any favors - it was a huge favor for us that the Zen tradition
existed, and I want to pass this on. I'm especially grateful to my daughter
and my wife for making it possible for me to volunteer here.
Now some may say, "What's in a building?" But I believe that with the
Madison affiliate, the building turned out to be very important. Around
1975, Roshi Kapleau helped a fledgling group choose a large house in an old,
established neighborhood. I believe that had we not had such a place to
practice, the group would have folded during one of several low points in
membership. So, the place can be a very important part of it all.
ZB: What's it like to be working with volunteers instead of your usual
crew?
Lou: We've had very professional results working with volunteers. There's a
core group here with enough construction background that I actually think we
could have done the whole thing. The volunteers have varying levels of
skill, but we've figured out ways they can do things up to a professional
level. For instance, we have a two-person team approach to shingling, with
one person observing and giving guidance while the other applies the
shingle. And the results have been excellent.
This has been a remarkably harmonious group of workers. We have a really
wonderful team - nobody's fighting, there are no temper tantrums. Also, with
Joe Condidorio [our contractor] and his sub-contractors, the atmosphere was
harmonious right from the start.
ZB: What are the greatest challenges you've faced on the project?
Lou: Challenges? They've all been everyday sorts of things. But when you're
in Zen training your ego should be suffering a little. Learning to live
with - and even appreciate - that is a very important thing. Of course, if
you're not suffering at all, Bodhin Roshi is willing to help!
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