Today, the 23rd May, dawn breaks as usual. Life and death share a fine line. Everything is so relative and yet everything is so subtle and ephemeral.
Today, a friend’s son was born, a sister, a mother, a wife and a friend has died. Many love her for being exactly as she was. She lived intensely, she enjoyed each and every moment as much as she could. Her light went out far too soon for those who knew her.
Today, it is raining, spring seems to be sad and does not want to show us its full splendour. One of its flowers has died and the unhappy clouds will not let the sun shine. Tears flood our confused hearts, our minds overload with sad thoughts, we cling on to what is no longer there. Melancholy takes over but this is no good.
Today, we learn the hard way how to do without the things we possess and believe to be ours. Nothing belongs and nothing remains. The wise man travels light, his luggage is his compassion and clear vision of life. With wisdom he does not hold on to anything and he knows how to let go of everything that he does not own because nothings is really ours.
Today an innocent girl is playing innocently with her cousins, a mother is crying a daughter’s death and her heart is torn to pieces unable to understand why. Why? There is no reason why, nothing remains, everything must continue to flow.
Today, 24th May a grey day breaks, sadness and happiness dance together sharing the same stage. Some laugh, some cry, nobody knows how the day will end although we all make great plans. Silly us, we never learn!
Today, a saddened sister wakes up and it makes feel very down-hearted. Her determination helps her to get up, her eyes clouded with sadness guide her around the house. She gets dressed, she puts on her sports-shoes and with a sweet smile on her face she says good-bye. We hug.
Today, many sisters, mothers and friends are running for a common cause, they do not run alone. Machús knows this as she comes across Flor, Sonia, Luci, Pilar, Zara and many more. They are daughters, sisters and mothers.
Today, green sprouts of hope are beginning to flower among so much sadness. Death takes up a minute space in our lives, too small to stop it.
Today, we must say good-bye to our sister. We know that death is not a full stop. We know that looking forward is less frightening.
Today, we know that with sorrow one does not loose the essence of life and this is exactly what a sister would never want.
Today and every day the sun comes up. We only need to see beyond the clouds to realise that the sun is shining and that the immense sky is forever blue.
Today our new sprouts are flowering, tomorrow is not real. Spring is leaving, giving way to Summer.
Today, a sister is laughing and find a surprising tear of happiness running down my cheek. Our present is the only eternal moment there is.
Twin sisters are playing their tuba with contained happiness, people clap. In a corner a cry unrestrained, I don’t want to make Meli miserable, I don’t want to make her sister gloomy. I’d like to explode into thousands of pieces and feel the light that I know is there yet cannot see. I simply pray that Meli has been able to. We will soon know.
If joy is the only way to face adversity, why is it that we set our minds on feeling miserable?
Today, 26th May, we say good-bye to Meli close to the immense ocean while we drink cider like she would have wanted us to.
Carpediem
Thank you.
Message from a friend. He is also a brother.
Today the weather is dreadful, sad one might say,
But only might,
Because I am sure that with your smile
You can light up the day.
Perhaps you can give us a big smile
But you will soon and it is then
When you will make anyone lucky enough to enjoy it very happy.
A friends sends you a warm and felt hug.
Sergio.
With more strength and hope, with my heart feeling a little more at peace and my mind in calm we look towards the horizon. Those who have climbed high summits, those who have crossed vast desserts and those who have sailed the immense oceans know what I’m taliking about.
The road becomes inevitable, the Solidary Silk Route continues and nobody is left behind.
sábado, 23 de mayo de 2009
jueves, 14 de mayo de 2009
Talking about the uncertain
Sometimes I write in my blog NO RETROCEDAS and other times I write in my blog Solidarity in the Silk Route. I could simply close this blog, even if it were temporarily and write all my comments in NO RETROCEDAS but some of you have asked me to continue to write in the Route so this is exactly what I am going to do until we consider to trip to have come to a close.
Today, I have woken up in pain. My back aches like hell and I can hardly stand in an up-right position. I am getting old or a one-eyed man has given me the evil eye. I don’t hesitate. Pain depends on your attitude so I stretch, ouch, ouch and ouch. The pain remains and I haven’t got any better but at least Machús has enjoyed the scene while she looks at me half in awe and half incredulously. She frowns and starts to tell me off for not being more sensible towards the intense pain. “I’m sorry” I answer “but today I have more important things to do.”
I make my way to the “home” where four mates are waiting for me to go and see the world. We decide to start towards the Jurassic Museum in Colunga. It was a big let down as the entry fee was 6€, far too high for our very limited budget. We make do with some pictures and simply enjoying and taking in the views.
The landscape can be unimportant for some and yet overwhelming for others. Arma explains that until very recently he had not been conscious of the fact that he is living on a planet and he has difficulty taking in very open spaces. I hope this is a sign of maturity.
We decide to climb the Fitu. The weather is against us but the Asturian landscape is worth at any time. We climb happily, joking while Roca is dealing with the height. He is taking a lot of medicine and does not take well to the change. Wearing huge used-to-be rocker’s glasses he sits firmly on the seat as we laugh and encourage him. When we finally reach the viewpoint the fine Astur drizzle continues and even so it has been worth it. Asturias is a natural paradise and for many, especially those who are not from the region, it is the first time they are in direct contact with Mother Nature.
I chat with Arma. “The world must be an immense place, this is so big. From my window I could only see a small hill with eucalyptus, “ he explains. I am surprised to find that a human being does not go mad in such conditions. He is not innocent and he is aware of it. He seems to be coming to terms with the fact that this is not the way to go but it is so frightening to go back on the streets with so many difficulties. It seems a little ironic that a condemned bank robber should talk about being scared of being on the street. To find yourself alone, cast out from your family and with no clear future can be terrifying to say the least. I try to put myself in his place I can see how he may feel intimidated by the situation.
On our way back “home” we come across friend from “up there” and they are happy to see him and ask him where he is living and how he is doing. The answer is expected “ a cheap pension, charity meals, and that is about it.” Again their faces look worried “how am I going to manage? Will I be able to take what life has installed for me? Will my mother continue to turn me away?
They are definitely not angels but what should be done?
Wise men throughout history have made the same suggestion, that is, forgiveness and compassion. This may be easy to say but extremely difficult to feel. However, it is the only true solution.
Today, I have woken up in pain. My back aches like hell and I can hardly stand in an up-right position. I am getting old or a one-eyed man has given me the evil eye. I don’t hesitate. Pain depends on your attitude so I stretch, ouch, ouch and ouch. The pain remains and I haven’t got any better but at least Machús has enjoyed the scene while she looks at me half in awe and half incredulously. She frowns and starts to tell me off for not being more sensible towards the intense pain. “I’m sorry” I answer “but today I have more important things to do.”
I make my way to the “home” where four mates are waiting for me to go and see the world. We decide to start towards the Jurassic Museum in Colunga. It was a big let down as the entry fee was 6€, far too high for our very limited budget. We make do with some pictures and simply enjoying and taking in the views.
The landscape can be unimportant for some and yet overwhelming for others. Arma explains that until very recently he had not been conscious of the fact that he is living on a planet and he has difficulty taking in very open spaces. I hope this is a sign of maturity.
We decide to climb the Fitu. The weather is against us but the Asturian landscape is worth at any time. We climb happily, joking while Roca is dealing with the height. He is taking a lot of medicine and does not take well to the change. Wearing huge used-to-be rocker’s glasses he sits firmly on the seat as we laugh and encourage him. When we finally reach the viewpoint the fine Astur drizzle continues and even so it has been worth it. Asturias is a natural paradise and for many, especially those who are not from the region, it is the first time they are in direct contact with Mother Nature.
I chat with Arma. “The world must be an immense place, this is so big. From my window I could only see a small hill with eucalyptus, “ he explains. I am surprised to find that a human being does not go mad in such conditions. He is not innocent and he is aware of it. He seems to be coming to terms with the fact that this is not the way to go but it is so frightening to go back on the streets with so many difficulties. It seems a little ironic that a condemned bank robber should talk about being scared of being on the street. To find yourself alone, cast out from your family and with no clear future can be terrifying to say the least. I try to put myself in his place I can see how he may feel intimidated by the situation.
On our way back “home” we come across friend from “up there” and they are happy to see him and ask him where he is living and how he is doing. The answer is expected “ a cheap pension, charity meals, and that is about it.” Again their faces look worried “how am I going to manage? Will I be able to take what life has installed for me? Will my mother continue to turn me away?
They are definitely not angels but what should be done?
Wise men throughout history have made the same suggestion, that is, forgiveness and compassion. This may be easy to say but extremely difficult to feel. However, it is the only true solution.
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