The Three Musketeers

All for one.  One for all.

Bangkok is one of those places in the world where you forever are meeting great characters, or that is my experience.  It is part of what makes this place ever exciting for me.  I have to say that even in a Sydney I would never meet the extent of characters I meet here.  For me, this is part of the appeal of a Bangkok, making it such a special place.  Yes, my Bangkok is a crazy and intense place but that goes with its being a hub in the world, attracting all sorts of people from everywhere. 

What makes a person a character?  They are made by their depth of commitment to spiritual pursuits and humanity.  They are made by their engagement with life in a variety of ways and places.  They are made by their breadth of experience of people and our world, with insights gained that take them the next step beyond where most people just stand and wait.  They are made by their work which they value and see as vital.  They never cease to fascinate me.  Their appeal never loses its sparkle.  Given their travels, novel approaches to life, variety of story and the like, character is the only word I can think of to describe them. 

I garner from them rich words of advice and pearls of wisdom that, along with the tantalizing conversations and nourishing encounters, keep me going along the right path in a Bangkok that can be so bizarre and dysfunctional. 

Why am I thinking of them now?  Three of them are my bestest, as I hear Thais say.  Last week, I had the chance to spend time with each of them.  This was unusual but very welcome and providential at a time when I had faced a key challenge in my workplace.  I realized by the end of the week how much my time with them meant for me.  And why?

Basically it is because of the deep loyalty they always show me.  They believe in me and I believe in them.  This is key to making life sustainable and nourishing; to making life more than bearable, to making life more than just a survival course.  In the midst of the bear pit that can be my Bangkok, there are people who really matter to me, who make the bear pit a place where you can operate with integrity and rise above the fray.  They truly give life to a vulnerable soul.