Communication remains key

In a divided, torn and conflicted world, that seemingly is only getting worse, this past week, I had a simple, unannounced, pleasant experience on an escalator - no less - that opened my eyes to the immense capacity we have for deep and meaningful encounter with our fellow human beings, in the midst of everyday life.    

  

On Saturday evening, I was transiting through a busy MRT station.  That does not sound too adventurous, does it?  I will continue.  Given the crowd, I was on the very next step behind a younger, Thai woman, who was with her western male companion.  I say this as I would normally stand back on the second step, but not so this time in a busy crowd.    

Anyway, there am I on this step behind the Thai woman.  Her male companion looks back at me, to which I just said: "It's okay".  

The guy picked up my Australian accent and so naturally responded: "Go for it mate", pulling her aside.

I then said: "Good on you, mate". 

To which he replied: "No worries".  

So we had a simple, natural, human encounter between two strangers, who just happened to be both Australians, in Bangkok.  This human connection allowed a good experience of humanity to happen, and what arose was the coming together of two people, strangers, in a good way.  Such is the way life can be, even in a divided, torn and conflicted world.  

It was not complicated.  It was just about being simple, decent human beings.  This simple encounter hit me with the reality that we can make this a better world, and it is not rocket science.  Human encounter is the way.  This is what Pope Francis is on about all the time. and now I understand it.  Amazing!  As humanity, we need to meet and talk, to engage and converse, not in complicated, tightly structured ways, but just in simple, everyday ways.  Be kind to each other and so communicate our goodness, and raise each other up.   

A person from church sent a Prayer for Peace, that she had found.  I think it is worth sharing in part, because it is so pertinent to today.    

God of Comfort,

send your Spirit to encompass all those whose lives 

are torn apart by violence and death in Israel and Palestine.  

You are the Advocate of the oppressed 

and the One whose eye is on the sparrow. 

Let arms reach out in healing, rather than aggression. 

Let hearts mourn rather than militarize.

Strengthen our faith in you, O God of All Flesh, 

even when we don’t have clear answers, 

so that we may still offer ourselves nonviolently 

for the cause of peace. Amen.

Rose Marie Berger,