Due to the continuing border (India) blockage living in Nepal, especially in Kathmandu, has become more of a challenge. It’s not only the long lines for petrol, kerosene, LPG, the overcrowded buses and the rising food prices, but also the impact on people’s psyches. When I talk to Nepalis about a solution, I’ve heard everything from asking China/India to take over the country to I’m willing to continue to wait. But for how long? One Minister said that he would wait until the last drop of water before “giving in”.
What is the solution? Is it more violence on the part of the protesters attacking patient laden ambulances and trucks filled with medicines, killings by security forces? Will this get the protestor’s messages to be taken seriously? Is it redrawing federal boundaries giving the protestors their own state, i.e. representation, possibly leading to other groups agitating for their own? Will Nepal become one country again? Is it standing up to India, the “real problem” and not giving in no matter what? Is it further opening up the Chinese border becoming somewhat dependent on another super power? But what choice do we have? Should the international community be part of the solution or will they just continue to issue press releases about the impending humanitarian crisis and devastation to the Nepalese economy?
It is apparent that the Government is backed into a corner. This seems to be more about ego, saving face, causing a downward spiral for most of the population who just want to get on with their lives.
Nepal is in a very tough situation caused by a lack of timeliness and not a lot of seemingly forethought in promulgating a new constitution. This seems to be like the US government invasion of Iraq in not really understanding the consequences, leading to a world which has fallen into further chaos, hate and repression. At this point in Nepal, there continues to be lots of talk in attempting to get the major parties on the same page, but this may not lead to an immediate resolution. I wonder what will happen to the country that I’ve lived in since June 2013, and have very much come to love.
Given the state of the world, with “terror” reigning supreme, I recently wrote the following on my Facebook page:
I want to wake up tomorrow morning and read in all of the newspaper that love has been declared as the official world language and that there are no longer any wars and that caste, ethnicity, race, gender religion doesn't matter, that there is no hatred of others because they are not "us"., that we all respect one another and that everyone has a decent job, access to health care and education, that inclusion is the way that we live.
More than 100 people “liked” this with many writing comments. Does this really mean anything or is it purely utopian?
Rabbi Michael Lerner on behalf of the Network of Spiritual Progressives recently introduced the Global Marshall Plan: A National Security Strategy of Generosity and Care. “It calls for the US to take the leadership with other advanced industrial societies to dedicate 1-2% of their Gross Domestic Product each year for the next twenty years to once and for all eliminate (not just ameliorate) domestic and global poverty, homelessness, hunger, inadequate education and inadequate health care. But it is not only about giving this “objective caring” in the form of economic benefits but also about delivering subjective caring–so that people feel that this is not a bribe but an expression of a new consciousness emerging into the world. Until the powerful countries of the world are seen as mainly driven by a desire to care for the well-being of everyone else on the planet and the wellbeing of the planet itself, and to do so not only out of self-interest but also out of a new consciousness in which we all come to truly understand our mutual interdependence and oneness, what we saw in Paris this past week is destined to be an increasing reality in the coming decades.”
As humans do we have the capacity to break out of our tribes to truly care and love others? Do we have to stay within our country’s boundaries and think that we are right? Are we blind to the situation of others? How many of us are still following the very desperate refugee situation? Where is love in all of this?
Again on Facebook I asked people what they thought love was. These were the reactions:
Unconditional respect and admiration.
I have little time to check my Facebook. But when I checked it and saw your photos from Nepal. I can feel your love for Nepal. And I smiled .And see each of your photos. That is love for me.
Unconditional attachment and support to underprivileged community and bringing them together in a team to help and support each other .inspiration, innocent smile and hope for better tomorrow is a love
Yes love is unconditional I agree with that. I believe that before we can give love we must have love for ourselves. We must learn to accept ourselves and not give ourselves a hard time over mistakes we have made in the past. When we are at ease within ourselves we can then begin to give out that unconditional love to others. Conditional love is not real love.
But I say love is conditional. We love to be loved, we love to be happy, we expect love from our loved one's the more we give the more we get
As I look at the world I see long standing hatred, just because I am or am not a believer in what you believe. My relatives were killed or hated by your relatives and therefore I must continue to hate. Is it possible then to have love for others whether it is unconditional or not? Is it possible to lose the ego to the point where it is “better to give than receive”?
Bringing this back to Nepal can the various political parties, ethnic groups and other countries involved create mutual respect or will the “hard” feelings created by the border closure continue leading to further suffering for those who would just like to get on with their lives?
As with the border closure, our problems are typically man made. Things seem to come down to ego and not letting go because we consider ourselves “right”. Can we try to love more, outside of our own communities? I’m not sure but I wonder what would happen if we all tried. If a suicide bomber instead of blindly killing him/herself and others instead said I’ve had enough of taking lives. What if a US President instead of giving in to the interests of the military industrial complex said no more money is going towards weapons manufacturing; this money will now go into creating jobs, schools and health care not only in the US but throughout the world, with no strings attached; a Global Marshall Plan based on generosity and care. What if other countries followed suit, especially in the Middle East. What if Russia, China and the US stopped competing?
Todd Rundgren
Name your price
A ticket to paradise
I can't stay here anymore
And I've looked high and low
I've been from shore to shore to shore
If there's a short cut I'd have found it
But there's no easy way around it
Light of the world, shine on me
Love is the answer
Shine on us all, set us free
Love is the answer
Who knows why
Someday we all must die
Were all homeless boys and girls
And we are never heard
It's such a lonely world
People turn their heads and walk on by
Tell me, is it worth just another try?
Tell me, are we alive, or just a dying planet?
What are the chances?
Ask the man in your heart for the answers
And when you feel afraid, love one another
When you've lost your way, love one another
When you're all alone, love one another
When you're far from home, love one another
When you're down and out, love one another
All your hopes run out, love one another
When you need a friend, love one another
When you're near the end, love one another
We got to love one another
Light of the world, you got to shine
Love will be a means, yeah, yeah
Shine on us all
Know that love can save the day
Just give it one more chance
Lord you just can’t let it stop lord
Love is the answer
Got to be free to let love into your life
Let it shine
Add new comment