Andy and I have been exploring the mountain trails near our home. One of the most interesting things we find along the way are the many small, humble shrines that suddenly appear in the middle of the trees. Sometimes you can smell the shrines before you see them, when the incense drifts down the hill.Some shrines are displayed in metal boxes up on stilts, diorama-style, sheltered with a sloping roof of corrugated steel. Others are simply nestled onto the ground, at the base of a tree. Each one is crowded with an array of statutes, littered with the bright red ends of joss sticks.
I wonder, are all these gods related? Or are they from different faiths? I like the idea of all of them peacefully sharing a home together in the woods, far above the noise of the city.
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