wow, said elf, what an amazing year, all 365 dreams. we celebrated beginning in cambodia.
in march we celebrated snow altitudes in nepal. in cambodia we celebrated summer heat. laos called in fall and wa-la, presto magician, here we is. again.
once upon a whisper paid attention to sensations. a heavy deluge increased density of murmurs. ideal voices sat silent.
it's hyohakusha, said a zen monk named basho. one who moves without direction.
metta.
one morning Elf sat near a fire in Laos.
silent barefoot Buddhist monks wrapped in orange walked past accepting alms from women.
tourists scrambled pointing and shooting.
a woman in white using a cane approached a corner.
her staff tested curb height. she hestitated. she stayed on the street feeling secure and balanced.
she passed a fire.
The day after big present day is another present. A gift day.
It's in the bag, said Elf.
Homemade by the Khmu people in Northern Laos. They use the income to purchase food, clothing and school supplies.
Resusable, biodegradeable.
No manufacturing, no cultivation.
5000 years of sustainability.
Life enriching.
Miraculous fabric.
Created from jungle vine.
Enjoy. Share. Transform.
May this find you celebrating life holidays with friends, family and complete strangers in beauty and mystery. Elf trusts your 2011 was filled with blessings and peace.
A traveling Elf completed 84 days at a private elementary school in Vientiane, Laos.
29 teachers taught Elf how to focus and pay attention.
Kill the television and distracting electronic gadgets, they said. Laughing.
They taught Elf about Character. Trust, fairness, responsibility, citizenship, and respect.
Elf cried and thanked them.
Elf feels great returning to Luang Prabang. He will investigate new teaching ops in the new year.
Funny seeing all the neurotic Europeans dazed and confused. They wander Disneyland. Lost and looking. DOING the Southeast Asian circuit. In-out. Bye bye.
Tourists find. Travelers discover.
Collected the Mystery 21-speed bike from the bus station. Had four months of grime and dirt sprayed off. Oiled.
Spin them wheels. Excellent rolling elevations. Taking his time quickly. Expanding the adventure indeed.
May all your adventures in 2012 be light and love.
In Turkey divorce is seen as a failure. A place where the majority of women know their place and stay in it. A place where mothers control and manipulate their daughter’s behavior, attitudes and imaginary freedom with a heavy dictatorial hand called love. Chains of love.
One was different. She confided in me. I listened. After seven months of marriage she’d decided to leave her husband filing divorce papers.
“I feel so much better,” she said. She opened up. She felt free. She had a lot to say. She’d believed her husband in the beginning.
“He lied to me. He courted me with sweet words and I thought, or believed I thought or thought I believed he had an open mind but I was disappointed because he wasn't honest...so after some time measured in weeks then months I saw his, how do you say, irresponsibility, how he wouldn't contribute his heart to me, to our relationship and then, when I tried to talk to him he was closed to me, he shut down and I was working and trying to keep the flat up and work on our relationship but I saw it was difficult, then really, really impossible to live with everything in my brain and heart.”
She inhaled. “Now, when he saw my action to end the marriage he was filled with remorse and regret and apologies. But it's too late. I told him to move out. He returned to his family. He tries to bother me every day in his childlike whining way but it's over. I can handle it. I am strong and know what I want in my life. My family is very supportive of my decision.”
“In China it’s always about saving face. Appearances. Here, it's about self respect, growth and personal dignity,” I said. “Some get it and some don’t.”
“Yes! I am not living the lie anymore. I feel free.”
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