Our Brothers and Sisters
We recently completed a mission to assess the needs of a nearby refugee camp. About 400 families live there. It wasn't as bad as I had expected, everyone seemed to have food and the water-borne diseases were not having too great an impact on the little community despite the recent floods.
They have nothing, so any gift no matter how small is that much more meaningful. They fight over the half-sticks of gum I gave out to them! The desperation for anything we had to offer was astonishing. The faces of the children haunt you. They could be your own.
So many times I've seen a glimpse of my nephews or the eyes of my sister in the crowd. So much of what I am doing here is an exploration into my sense of a shared humanity with the rest of the world...a feeling that I feel is far too rare in our world today and one I hope to play a small part in reviving. We must begin to see everyone as our brothers and sisters and insist that their lives be honored as we most assuredly would if they were a true member of our family. To me they are. The only humans that are not are the ones who would benefit from the exploitation, ignorance or misery of others.
My father sent me an email just before I shipped out that keeps resonating in my heart. Here is just part of it that I wanted to share with everyone:
In terms of your vision and motivation, it is of more value for you to give a kid a piece of gum, or greet an old man with a genuine smile in an experience where the oneness that exists between you is recognized, than to feed an entire village that experiences the gift as condescension.
How noble of you to take on the multigenerational task of building the bridges of awareness between our cultures; knowing how extreme the odds are of your ever seeing any quantifiable results. If you make the mistake of requiring visible results, you will become unhappy and frustrated. Be content that you are where you know you need to be, attaching nothing to a specific outcome.
Remember always to see the oneness that exists between you and all things. Even if you have to place your cross hairs on one that attacks you with deadly force; be able to pull the trigger recognizing and honoring him as a part of yourself; an unfortunate lost part of you that must be cut off from causing further harm. Do what you must, take none of it too seriously, remembering that even death is an illusion.
It is your daily, hour by hour, moment to moment practice that will make the difference between this experience being one that hardens and distances you from the joy of life or draws you ever closer to it. Practice stillness, practice present moment awareness. Practice quietly observing everything, within and without, with a loving eye and fearing nothing.
Thanks, Dad. These words encapsulate the perspective and practices I am striving to maintain for the rest of my life.
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You are blessed to have a father so wise.
I would say that "the ones who would benefit from the exploitation, ignorance or misery of others" are also part of the human family, albeit "an unfortunate lost part of [it] that must be cut off from causing further harm". Cut off or trained to be better, where possible.
That first photo, of you with the children, really sums up the whole mission to me.
When I tell people that I have a friend around my own age that enlisted, they always ask the obvious questions. I can answer with just that photo.
Once again, thank you.
As a very wise "nobody" once observed, "the first photo, of you with the children, really sums up the whole mission to me."
As I was looking at that picture today it occured to me that while the officers and your other "superiors" are conflabing with the adult leaders, the interaction you had with the children, in what might seem like wasted waiting time, is at the very core of generational bridge building.
Another very wise man of several thousand years ago is also on record as believing that children were worthy of attention...
I think you are on the right track!
BTW-- Thanks for your kind words about me.
Steven - I feel so fortunate that you came into my world. What made me admire you so much were your loving words for your wife, your family and your friends and the smile onyour face when you talked of them. I always thought, "There is a man who knows the importance of life"
Now as I read your words, I realize and understand, this is the true core of my friend Steven.
I am more compassionate today, I try to be more understanding and I try to be a better "Citizen of the World" because of your words.
Everyone at Noblestar says hello. We are all thinking of you.
Steve, this post is my favorite. I read it with Mason and we are both very moved. I wish everyone would read this. I am going to make sure that more people do.
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