Red Lines Matter

As I remember, the term "red line" was first sensationalized for me when hearing Obama proclaim that his red line had been crossed in the Syrian war, with Assad's use of chemical weapons.  This was so serious that sharp consequences would definitely be applied.  

A red line is defined as "a limit beyond which someone's behaviour is no longer acceptable".  

It is not only US Presidents who hold red lines.  Hopefully, we all have our red lines as they give witness to our being authentic and decent human beings.  Primarily, they are not used to judge others.  Rather they are upheld so we may be true to what we know to be true, right and just.    

I find that this is part of my make-up, of my own personal and shared culture as a Catholic.  Holding my red lines in life is primarily about me, about being true to myself, about remaining committed to my responsibilities in life.    

In the last week, I had occasion to hold one of my red lines.  The context was my being in the same public space as two adults acting offensively.  Both parties happily partook in their action which was demeaning of them and of those who may happen to come their way, like me.  This public space was the business area of a good friend whom I often greet on my way into my apartment building.  I was there to await a food delivery, use the wi-fi and greet my friend.  

I found I naturally had a strong internal reaction to what I was witnessing, purposefully choosing to ignore it.  Still, within I could feel I was making a powerful stance to hold my red line for no one should have to put up with such behaviour in public.  Internal or external forum, holding one's red line is always important.  My chosen way was deliberate so as not to offend unnecessarily innocent others, friend or otherwise.  My stance and chosen way were about showing respect for myself and others.      

My simple action was not just for me.  It was for the sake of self and others.  People deserve better.  My stance was made because all people matter.  We must be aware of how our actions affect others and how we have responsibility for each other.  We do not live on selfish, isolated islands.  Human solidarity matters.  

Those three key learning for humanity given to us by the pandemic just keep arising for me - respect, responsibility, solidarity.  They do matter for holding onto them makes us better human beings.     

Amor est in via

The debacle that is 20 years of war in Afghanistan seemingly has reached its natural and ultimate climax - utter chaos.   Syria's war rolls on but is forgotten.  The world was continually being told by the UN that Yemen caught up in war was doomed to famine but whatever happened?  With its women having suffered such barbaric atrocities, war in Ethiopia remains on the boil.  Above all this, due to the incompetence, or worse, of humanity, the pandemic is wreaking havoc on the world.  

So the world continues on its way.  Is there not another way?  Yes, there is. 

One of my great heroes, St Bernard of Clairvaux, was a Carthusian monk of the 12th century, abbot and preacher.  He was a powerful voice supporting the Second Crusade of the 1140s which proved to be a complete failure.  This saddened him with all responsibility cast upon him.  Little is known of this troubled part of his life but there was obvious remorse.   

We move on to see that Bernard was so much more.  He spoke passionately on God's love for humankind.  He described how God's love is expressed for us through God's own kiss of love.  

We are drawn into this kiss between the Father and the Son through the power of the Spirit.  

God is in love with us.  

God creates us out of love and God's passion for us sustains us.  

This is just mind blowing.  Take it in.  This is threatening stuff but it is real and is for us to make our lives burst open with love.  

There is another way.

"Amor est in via."  (Bernard of Clairvaux)  

The tree or the roof?

Ripping out the green in my street

On Sunday past, I walked out of my apartment building to see what had been a lovely bit of remaining green in my street going, and then gone.  I was in shock.  This was being done under the direction of the owners of my building.  This wa's my turf.  I had to do something but what?  

I literally walked back and forth pondering.  I decided to bite the bullet and approach someone in authority of my building.  Determined, off I went and expressed my sadness at what was happening and that this was not right.  The response was that the trees were being cut down to save the roof, but this roof is old.  So why not put in a new roof and save the trees?  But - No - and nobody was going to listen to me.  It was to be the trees or the roof and all along the decision by owwnership was clear - sacrifice the trees.   

The day before, I was shocked yet again to hear the oficial forecast for the path of the virus in Thailand.  The prediction was for continuing higher infection rates into September, rising double or triple.  My thought was - what is happening? 

Then later that day, I read that the government authority responsible for decisions on how to respond to the virus was considering needed new responses to counter this ever growing rise in the virus.  Great but these included re-opening shops in the shopping malls.  Huh?  Now, I was confused.  I just could not understand this particular response.  

I don't get it.  Sacrifice trees to save an old roof in a street with so little greeen left, all taken over by condo and apartment buildings?  Open shops as part of an overall programme to counter rising infection rates within a pandemic? 

We must care for each other .  We must care for our planet.  That is the only way to help ensure a fruitful life for all.    Respect - Responsibility - Solidarity always.  

 

 

Lunch

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”
― Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

Dickens so aptly presents the eternal, cosmic conflict between good and evil, poignantly capturing the nature of life, of history that keeps repeating itself.  It is never either or, but always both sides in constant opposition.  

My experience of a pandemic is that it highlights what is already good and bad in our world, serving to magnify these two sides of our existence.  Sadly, if even understandably, humanity tends these days more towards stressing the bad over the good.  Enough of that for now!  

Truth is I am seeing a lot of good.  I see people concerned for their fellow human beings; I see people reaching out to help; I simply experience ordinary human kindness.  Yes, it still exists, despite what ones may say.  

In the past week, a friend wanted to cheer me up in a pandemic.  So he bought me lunch and had it delivered by motor bike, which is the way of these times in Bangkok.  It was yum.  The chips were real chips.  Beyond all these delights was the kindness yet again, unreservedly offered to me by another human being, letting me know that someone cares.  That is the message that stays with me and that is what is most important.      

Human kindness and goodness do exist and continue to thrive, no matter what else is happening in our world.  Full stop.  Thank God.  

Respect Matters

St Augustine  

Respect, responsibility, solidarity are THE WORDS of this pandemic for me.  They encapsulate the lessons I am learning about life in these extraordinary times.  

My experience of dealing with people and sharing life is that respect is the key building block of the three.  For how do you stand with others when you don't respect them or they not respect you?  For how do you fulfil your responsibilities when there is no respect given or received?  

The answer to both is you still must but something is lacking.  Without respect, the picture just will not come together.  What is failing in the picture without it?  Dignity for all.  The bottom line may be summed up as "how do I stand up for the rights of others, when I don't stand up for my own?" 

Being a person in the world is not being an actor.  Life is not simply a performance.  Life goes much deeper.  It has to, so that it has purpose and meaning.  Life is not purely functional.  It is not about being a nice, nor even a good person.  It is about much more.  At the core of all is who I am and who we are.  

I may respect others no matter what but the demand is also that I respect myself.  In respecting myself, I stand up for myself, not accepting a lack of respect from others.  This challenging better behaviour from others helps build a better world and needs no other justification than my own self-respect matters.  

By building up respect, we build up responsibility and solidarity.  Respect has two children: my respect for others and my respect for myself.  It is a two way street.  Respect matters.