2011

Yes, it is the Year of the Rabbit. I know very little about rabbits. There is Bugs Bunny who is presented as fast moving, quick thinking and always on top of things. Then, as an Australian, I think of our experience of rabbits which were introduced from England. In the UK, they may be cute but, in Australia, they are unwanted pests as they eat all the vegetation. I guess that points to the two sides of any reality - the good and the bad, the dark and the light.

I know that in my own life. It is not only others who are bizarre and dysfunctional but also myself. There again, like others, I have my good side. No one is perfect; life is not perfect.

It makes me think of a line I heard on listening recently to a woman talk about the experience of having been trapped within an abusive relationship with a 'so called' boyfriend. She kept asking the same question - How could I? I think that is a question we all could ask about ourselves as we reflect on our total life experience. I think that is a basic shared question for humanity as we look at our world - How could we?

It made me think that the challenge is to transform this basic question of life into a statement on life - Look how far we have come! That is the challenge as we look back at life - not to bemoan how could we but to celebrate in how far we have come.

I often take a critical look at Thailand and Thais, and sometimes I wonder. Then yesterday, I had an experience of venting huge verbal anger on seeing myself as once again being at the receiving end of an arrogant and angry comment. Very seldom do I get angry. Yesterday was one of those few times. It was frightening for me as I just felt trapped by anger. The experience put me in touch once again with my own share of dysfunctional and bizarre behaiour. See, I thought, it is not just others, it is me too.

Maybe I needed this experience to push me that extra needed step as I then moved on from there to the milieu of a Thai family picnic. I saw the whole Thai scene so differently - not as separate or different or exclusive. Rather I experienced their acceptance and understanding of me. They had just happily let me be in my anger. They had handled me so well. I saw how it was just so enjoyable to be with them and enjoy them. I saw firsthand how Thais are just so much at home with their family. It is here they seem to thrive. How wondeful! I hope this stays.

The point is that, through experiencing my own dark side, I was put more in touch with others around me. We have so much more that binds us together than what divides us. Living here, one may often focus on the cultural divdes but the more important reality is our shared reality. Beyond being Thai or Burmese or Cambodian or Lao or farang, we are all human and that is what matters.

Happy Year of the Rabbit!