The Porch of Possibility: When Pope Francis and the Dalai Lama Took a Nap and Rewrote the Church. Welcome to My Porch
A Holy Nap and An Unexpected conversation Welcome to My Porch By CL Muniz
Sometimes, my brain likes to wander off and ask, “What if?” What if the world slowed down enough for imagination to slip past the noise and do something wildly unnecessary… like host a sacred chat between spiritual icons?
Today, I let my mind roam freely — and it took me to my porch in Puerto Rico, where Pope Francis and the Dalai Lama ended up having a conversation I never expected. This is the first in a few short segments exploring what might happen when you mix holy wisdom, tropical breezes, and a curious woman in a hammock…
A Holy Nap
Like most sacred revelations, it began not with thunder—but with a nap.
The Dalai Lama had been meditating—or as he'd later confess with a grin, "meditating extra deeply"—when his soul slipped from his body like a satisfied exhale. He drifted beyond form, floating past the edge of time, until he found a little porch in Puerto Rico kissed by hummingbirds, miosotis, and the breeze of something sacred.
There, in a hammock, slept a woman. Peaceful. Dreaming. It was me. The Lama didn't want to disturb the nap (souls recognize good sleep when they see it), so he settled into a rocking chair and watched the world spin gently. But as his thoughts meandered toward the state of humanity, someone else felt it. Pope Francis had been standing in line to speak with God—yes, even popes have to wait—but suddenly, he was tugged out of line, his soul magnetized toward the Lama's presence like a feather in a breeze.
An Unexpected Conversation
The two spiritual leaders sat together on my porch, one still chuckling, the other mildly confused. Francis blinked. "How… are we talking right now?" he asked, then narrowed his eyes. "Wait—am I dead? Is he dead!?"
The Dalai Lama raised an eyebrow. "Don't be ridiculous. I'm just napping. But you are dead—though you should maybe rest. Honestly, I'm surprised you found me. I didn't even send a Google Calendar invite."
They laughed, that soft, deep laugh only holy men have—the kind that unknots centuries of doctrine. Meanwhile, my soul stirred in the hammock. I floated up, still half-dreaming, and saw them sitting there like a holy comedy duo.
I blinked. “…Is this real?” They looked at each other, smiled, and nodded. But hey—if two spiritual giants show up on your porch while you're dreaming, you don’t call 911. You ask questions.
So naturally, I did what anyone would do. I asked: “Soooo… who do you think the next pope will be?”
The conversation had taken an unexpected turn, but the two spiritual leaders seemed to be enjoying the discussion. Let's see where it goes from here!