BootsnAll Travel Community

A few weeks ago I attended a Buddhist sand mandala ceremony. A sand mandala is an intricate circular design made from various colored sands. It is completed over the course of a few days. On the final day the mandala is destroyed, the sand swept up and dispersed. The sand for this particular mandala was blessed by the monk and then deposited in the Red Cedar River on the Michigan State University campus. It was in honor of all the graduates.

At the same time as the mandala ceremony there was a Nepali artist who was deplaying his work. His paintings were truly amazing. They were full of vibrant colors and thought provoking subjects. In one, the Earth rested on a crumpbling precarious ledge. Only a tiny insect perched at the oposite tip kept the Earth from falling. There were stunning paintings with the edges pealing back to reveal an endless space. A stunning gray-tone close-up of the weathered face of an old man took my breath away. It was the artist's father.

Before we left, my mother and I went to say good-bye to the artist. He took my hand in his and it was as if an electric charge hummed through my body. His warm, soft hands grasped mine and he pulled our hands to his heart. He looked into my eyes and thanked me. Not for coming to see his work, or massageing his ego (I doubt very little of his life revolved around ego). He said, "Thank you." And I knew he meant for my existance. A knot clenched my throat and tears spang to my eyes. I have rarely felt so loved.

There have been others: Dr. Edward Chang, the Taoist leader in Vancouver B.C.; Dr. David Basset, a respected Quaker Elder; Elizabeth Mast, my grandmother, who's love for humanity grew from her work as a public health nurse in the turbulant times of the early 20th Century. From all of these people I have felt my heart fill with blessings.

Have you met people who have had the same affect on you? Who were they? What did they make you feel? Did they change how you see the world?

Jet

Great question! Thanks Jetgirl! Good thing I don't have all day to do this, because the more I think, the longer the list gets. It would take years to answer the question fully. First, the Dalai Lama, not just his presence but his answer to someone who asked if he believes he is the reincarnation of Gautama Buddha. He laughed for a long time and then said gently, "I am a simple monk, and I live by my vows. By my vows, I know who I am. Do you know what vows you live by?" That one still keeps me going, as I continually examine the vows I LIVE BY, not the ones I talk about. Then, a woman named Mpho Nthunya, a "simple" poor African woman who made her living cleaning houses: she has an English vocabulary of about 500 words, and a story so profound it staggers me. Great love, great compassion, great sense of humor, no self-pity, just waking up and starting again. Miraculously, her story got into print: SINGING AWAY THE HUNGER (Indiana Univ Press, 1997). Great read. Then, Dorothy Robinson: a homeless former junkie I met when I worked in a methadone program in NYC. Dorothy asked profound questions about the meaning of life from her perspective squatting in a condemned building on 116th St. in Harlem, and she loved being alive, despite the hardship; she could always laugh, especially once she got off heroin and alcohol. Every day was a wonder to Dorothy, a surprise, and a treasure to be uncovered by waking up. She said, "Maybe another day, something else beautiful will happen." You know, JetGirl, maybe we could all write the story of our lives using this as a framework. It's not what comes to us in life, it's what we do with what comes to us: that's who we are. Special people are coming to all of us every day.

quote:

Originally posted by Grannygold:
Special people are coming to all of us every day.

I met my current partner when I was working in Botswana and she is the most special person I have ever met. She is now the mother to our daughter so there's an equally special person that has been created. But if I were to list all the other special people that I have met on my travels it would take several hours if not days. I met Mother Theresa in Calcutta but that wasn't as special as all the African kids and teachers I met in Botswana.So I can see Granny golden has a wise head and you meet special people all the time you only have to open your heart to them and they will shine.

All people bring enjoyment to me. Some by stepping into my life and others by leaving it.

elv

I have Asperger Syndrome, so I tend to be the one labelled 'special' by many people. I doubt though in what way they intend it. There's 'special' as in 'unique' (good way) and there's special as in 'weird' (in a way that makes feel people feel discomfortable around you). I haven't met too many special people so far. In a way, as odd as this may sound, most people seem unlike myself somehow, I know it's the AS but I always felt like I was the special outsider myself rather than the one meeting special people. I remember that when I was 6 years old and had to do an IQ test as part of my diagnostic tests, that I said at one point to the therapist "but I'm not like the other children". Shortly after the diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome came, so ironically I was right all the way. Some people I met tend to call it the "oops, wrong planet - syndrome" which is quite cute

quote:

Originally posted by Gerrit:
I remember that when I was 6 years old and had to do an IQ test as part of my diagnostic tests, that I said at one point to the therapist "but I'm not like the other children". Shortly after the diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome came, so ironically I was right all the way. Some people I met tend to call it the "oops, wrong planet - syndrome" which is quite cute

when i did my IQ tests, i was saying the same thing, but since i scored rather highly, they didnt believe me. strange people... thinking everyone fits into the same holes!

I would also say ive got the "oops, wrong planet - syndrome," though i most certainly do not have aspergers, haha.

We travel to reach out to the world. We are always hungry for inspiration, for it is that inspiration that helps us give our life a direction.

I too had been travelling a lot, and kept on travelling until the time I met some such people who had known me even before we had known each other. They knew for they too had travelled and they too had pained. No, they were not people who'd I'd call special. Only for me they were at that time what I wanted.

M Raman

I have met several special people during my travells but two stand out above the rest.
The first is Br. Patrick Hart. He was Thomas Mertons assistant at Gethsemene Abbey for many years and has such a simpicity of life that is outstanding. He never said anything that would be considered profound or anything like that but spending time with him was like a breath of fresh air.
The other person was an elderly Nun named Sister Carmella. This lady was so sweet and giving. Whenever I went to visit her is Zambia she always had a glass of juice and something sweet to eat and would discuss the everyday happenings of the school for the deaf where she worked. But it was never in frustration or anger always focusing on the good things that were happening there.
I remember both of these people with great fondness for the peace they have given me.

My mate and I clown in parades as a hobby.

When our two sons became old enough to willingly participate, we took them to Clown Camp in Wisconsin where all of us honed our skills. One morning, by chance, we met a young lady from Japan. My family had a trip to Japan on the long range radar and as I shared we were going and had planned to climb Mt. Fuji she said, "Oh, I live near the mountain, I will climb with you".

This offer of friendship lead to a wonderful connection of events.

The complete account of our adventures with "Takko" the clown can be read on the site.

http://www.bootsnall.com/adventures/articles/06-03/connections.html

We have remained friends ever since.

Edosan...what a lovely story!

We are all connected with our dreams...its a matter of time meeting the person who makes them a reality.