Tibetan Woman
President Obama met with His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, today. As happens whenever our government acknowledges the Tibetan spiritual leader, China is pissed and making lots of noise. And my heart shatters a little, as it always does when confronted with examples of political or social injustice that appear to have no resolution. I am an EMOTIONAL CREATURE, as Eve Ensler would say. I simply do not understand how a country can justify usurping a neighbor, forcing a foreign language on its people, destroying its monuments, and traumatizing its citizens. I simply do not understand how whatever it gains in land or minerals or water is valued more greatly than humanity. I know this lack of comprehension reveals a mind more appropriately matched to a five-year-old in the sandbox, but I’m okay with that. After all, no one has ever explained to me what is WRONG with wanting the world to be fair, expecting people to share and receiving a kiss or lollipop after cleaning up a mess.
Family Walking Along the Cora
I was in Tibet for four days. Seven years ago. A very short visit, a long time ago. I’ve mentioned before that the journey seared my soul. I pity anyone who goes to that place and does not feel the earth and sky dance in sublime harmony for just a moment when graced with a smile from one of its children or upon first glimpsing the prayer flags fluttering to a silent melody. It is a gift to our planet, its people a gift to our species, and it is being treated with the same disregard for its true value as the earth as a whole. You may think my words are just hyperbole. They are not. Go for yourself, and see. Better yet, FEEL.
Street Shopping
On the same visit, I traveled through many parts of China. It is a phenomenal country. It is the only place outside the U.S. where I met individuals as confident, blind and arrogant about their country’s position and dominance on the world stage as are some Americans. I also met people as friendly as many here. But NEVER ONCE did I mistake a Chinese person for a Tibetan. NEVER ONCE, while in Tibet, did I think I was in China. The differences in Tibet are not those blithely attributed to regional variance. To its core, Tibet is a place unto itself. I hope someday the Chinese will accept this, but that day is clearly not today. Today, the Chinese government creates policy after policy, applicable only to Tibet, designed to eradicate as much as possible of its soul.
Children At Play
By meeting with the Dalai Lama today, President Obama took one of the few actions that is available to all of us, one that is infinitely powerful. He LISTENED. We can all listen. We can all SEE. Wherever we are. Whatever our circumstances. And then, perhaps, we can even ACT.
Josh Hanagarne
/ February 18, 2010I really, really like that Children at Play photo. Glad to hear that people can be ignorant no matter where you go:) Glad you had a good trip!
.-= Josh Hanagarne´s last blog ..How To Be As Confident As This Pig =-.
emmajames
/ February 18, 2010Josh: Thanks so much. I love that picture too, though my favorite photos involving the kids of Lhasa are posted on my earlier entry, to which I linked in this post. The children absolutely stole my heart.
Rebecca
/ February 18, 2010Simply eloquent.
I may not agree with everything President Obama has done but I support him regardless….. I did vote for him and he is my president. This meeting with the Dalai Lama .. I wonder how anyone can’t support it but I’m sure there will be plenty of neigh sayers, as there always are. To me this meeting represents everything I believe politics should be… moving towards finding common ground by listening to one another with the goal of peace.
Thanks for posting this.
.-= Rebecca´s last blog ..thank you, stork. =-.
emmajames
/ February 19, 2010Rebecca: Thank you!
whollyjeanne
/ February 18, 2010sugar, i just don’t know where to start. i love the pictures. i love your words. love the way you own being an EMOTIONAL CREATURE without apology. love your pondering why we can’t play nice together or just take the damn toys and go home if you don’t like having another kid in your sandbox. love the fact that you’ve traveled so much – have a newfound respect for some of the things you put on your 100 list. (i’m still working on mind. added something yesterday in a great burst of gleeful confidence, then talked my self right out of it before the hour was up.)
.-= whollyjeanne´s last blog ..fruits just aren’t my color =-.
emmajames
/ February 19, 2010Jeanne: Your sentiments always take my breath away and make my breathe extra deep to adjust to the expansion of my heart. We are kindred spirits, and I’m so glad the stars aligned to let our worlds collide.
Susan
/ February 20, 2010This was a beautiful post. The world needs more people like you.
.-= Susan´s last blog ..local souvenirs =-.
emmajames
/ February 21, 2010Susan: Thank you. I just wish I had SOLUTIONS (and that everyone would just GET IT) *sigh*
Jennifer Prentice
/ February 20, 2010I love the photos, Emma. I also love hearing your heart in all things–including your heart for the world outside of America’s “four walls.”
.-= Jennifer Prentice´s last blog ..More Than a Feeling =-.
emmajames
/ February 21, 2010Jennifer: Oh, my heart is definitely not contained by the U.S.’s four walls (love that analogy!). In fact, little pieces of it are all over the planet. I think there may even be a chunk on the moon.
Julie
/ February 21, 2010Emma, your sentiments are not those similar to a 5-year old. They are born from an emotional creature who feels deeply, has traveled the world, and has an amazing intellectual grasp of the situation. Nothing about the China/Tibet situation makes sense… except from the mindset that stalks our world today, making mincemeat of the Earth, and killing innocent people through the terror that is war. As you can tell, your eloquent post has me all riled up. I heart you, Emma. A lot.
.-= Julie´s last blog ..Sacred Flesh and Bones =-.
emmajames
/ February 21, 2010Julie: Ditto, my friend, ditto!