Pay Attention
"Pay Attention" I was told, at 6am by our guide, Agung Rai as we walked through the rice fields of Ubud, Indonesia. In the excitement of travel and acclimating to a new place and reality you can always miss things. "Listen" he said... and the words of Joni Mitchell's Woodstock "And we've got to get ourselves back to the garden" came to my mind as I heard water, birds, roosters, ducks and dogs.
It all starts with the waters systems, from 300 BC, that rival any engineering feat I have ever seen, and then you add the villagers who farm the rice which sustains them, whose children see every day where their sustenance comes from, who take great pride in their homes, constantly cleaning, brooming and honoring their family temples... (from mud huts to more elaborate stone compounds) watching their mothers and fathers and grandparents working the soil, flooding the paddies, feeding their ducks in the paddies on the leftover rice from the previous harvest and then naturally fertilizing the paddies with the duck droppings, then flooding, pulling and plowing this fertile wet soil with the cows that they don't kill because they work to help make the rice, to the painstaking planting of individual rice clusters, (imagine hair plugs) and then the natural dance of growth and defense from nature's predators to the harvest and drying and then and only then eating. Add the myriad offerings, ceremonies, festivals and celebrations and what you get is family. They celebrate birth, a three month old's first time where their feet touch the ground, harvests, rice, weddings and yes, death. They pray in silence so that everyone is welcome to pray to whomever they want to. When they cut down a tree, they plant a new one to honor the one cut down. They work in small community units, Bangars... remember the political jokes levied about Obama's community organizing background... Agung Rai talked about our Western belief in reality, Sakala. He spoke of his belief in Niskala, the unseen, the intangible and then he dropped the big one..." When things are bad, share with others."
"Pay Attention" he said. As I stood at the highest point in the farmland of Indonesia watching the sun come up there in the distance were the cell towers. Dotted every visual ten feet and of course forever ruining the vista. The buzz and drone of the motorbikes which are ubiquitous in Bali and the trash which was what I brought back as my "How am I changed by my trip and what am I going to do differently?" After seeing the amount of trash I decided (I know better late than never) to not buy anymore plastic bottles of water, drinks etc." I asked him about why there was such attention to home village beauty and care and such widespread trash and plastic and he said:
"You have to teach the young people one thing at a time." The pulls away from that culture is even happening in the villages of Bali.
"Pay Attention... Life, is not mathematical," he said. Back here at home I am seeing his words play out every day. Iran's nascent revolution is not mathematical. Jon and Kate-is-enough and the obscenity that is children on reality TV is not mathematical. Raising children is not mathematical. Being married is not mathematical. Even rice, simple rice and how it is farmed is not mathematical. It is intangible. Unknown...
Our children need to see us all work hard. To take care of our home environments and the environment around us. Obama's message of family unity and gardening is fundamental to continuing these village legacies. Hilary Clinton wrote: It Takes a Village. I was lucky enough to see this first hand, only because of the generosity of Agung Rai's time and patience and deep love for what he understands IS the fundamental connection we all make. Families. Working together. Interconnected. Interdependent. Natural. Beautiful. Breathtaking.
PAY ATTENTION!
In the book that I wrote about the constant competition that our children face every day; Is There Really a Human Race? a mother answers her son's query with these words.
Sometimes it's better not to go fast. There are beautiful sights to be seen when you're last. Shouldn't it be that you just try your best and that's more important than beating the rest? Shouldn't it be looking back at the end that you judge your own race by the help that you lend? So, take what's inside you and make big, bold choices and for those who can't speak for themselves, use bold voices and make friends and love well, bring art to this place and make the world better for the whole human race.
Agung Rai runs a foundation to bring village children into art classes and offers them free of charge. If you get a chance and are in Ubud, Indonesia check out ARMA, The Agung Rai Museum of Art and take a tour with Agung Rai into the heart of the art... the farms and villages and rice fields where the water flows and the art begins.
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This post is wonderful because it calls out the interconnectedness of our lives all around us. A sense of family, community, humanity - and every generation obligated to teach the next, is the nature of our existence. THESE are the wonderful threads that bind us together. But few of us are in touch with the reality of belonging on a grand scale. Here's something I wrote that tries, in my feeble way, to make sense of 'us' within the majesty of a great universe. Hope it moves you. bit.ly/u5R
And here are some things I've learned about myself, my family, my world and my existence over the years. SO in the spirit of teaching the next generation, let me share bit.ly/11t
Interconne
I fought in the Persian Gulf War; and believed in my mission and all that entails. I loathed Saddam Hussein and his Army. I've always been proud of my service and of those I served with. I came home and left the service to pursue a career as a writer. Through the years, as I've gained more knowlege I have shed my conservative views (in most respects); and have grown more thoughtful (hopefully), tolerant and forgiving. I burned my Republican voter registration with the deepest joy; and voted for Barack Obama, with great pride and confidence.
I find myself constantly wanting to go back to Iraq; to help them rebuild; and to help them to restore what we have destroyed. I now cry for the horror of it all; for needless war. They are our brothers and sisters, too.
Thank God for evolution. Without it, I would never have understood the true interconnectedness of humanity.
What a wonderful sentiment:) I agree that the Iraqui people did nothing to deserve the chaos and devistation. You really as a soldier only did what you were told. Maybe I am wrong but I think soldiers have to put feelings on the back side. The leaders throw them in and no different than the Roman Forum games it is the soldiers not the the leaders thrown to slaughter.
Dear Bailey,
Wow, your post is very powerful and moving. I don't know you, but I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your service, and for having the courage to grow and be true to yourself!
This service is your greatest. To grow beyond and counter hatred and ignorance with your heart wide open is how we Peace Warriors "fight" the illusion of separateness and enmity. Bless your bones forever.
That was a great article. I have to admit that people today-the affluent have people that do the work. In the end it is not money that makes people happy. It is the fruits of plain ole hardwork. It is easy to buy something than work for something.
Nice article. It reminds me of the wonderful story of The Little Prince from Antoine de Saint-Exupery. I'll paraphrase - It is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye. If you haven't read it, I recommend. It will warm you.
It does take a village. Can you please teach this to the republicans who seem to not understand this message? To make America better it takes us all doing our part. If the rice fields don't get flooded the rice won't grow,if the seeds were never planted there would be no rice. If we do not all pull together we as a nation will be sunk. Its not an agenda its a village:)
I have never been able to understand the anger and condemnation generated by 'It Takes a Village". As my daughter nears her 21st birthday, I reflect on the entire village of people that helped to bring her to a promising adulthood. teachers, shopkeeper, coaches, friends, doctors, neighbors. Everyone had some part in raising her, and all of the children in our college town.
One thing I have said to her hundreds if not thousands of times is, interestingly, Pay Attention.
You obviously took me wrong. I am sincere and believe it does take a village. That is why I truly believe that in restoring this country it will take everyone.
The anger and comdemnation were for Hillary Clinton from the right. 'It takes a village' was just one way to ridicule her...
Needs Attention : Appalachia is being bombed, blasted and bulldozed right into a toxic 3rd world moonscape. http://www
Clean Coal, the new oxymoron.
I loved this. Thank you.
Wherever we live, we plant at least one tree for each family member. Some of them dwarf fruit trees. It connects us to the place, and leaves something for the next people. (I think it offsets our carbon footprint a little bit too.)
This coincides with what "Food Inc." shows.
The planting of a tree to honor the one cut down is an example of a simple, yet profound concept. I enjoyed this article.
Wow, very thought provoking. I had no idea you were such a talented writer :)
" Obama's message of family unity ... " etc etc etc. I'm sick of his talk of family unity etc. Obama talked today about fathers and Father's Day yet he would deny Gays marriage rights so as long as you're heteorsexual you get a piece of the pie and family to go with it. We have families too, at least some of us still do. I don't have my kids because I didn't have marriage rights and now the'yre somewhere out there with some foster family. Maybe Obama would like to wish me Happy Father's Day too. His dog gets more attention than the promises he made to us.
Obama cannot fix every issue for every single person in the country. You want Gay rights to be the first thing he fixes the way YOU want it fixed. Others want their problem to be first. It never ends. There is always going to people out there that do not like things no matter what. This was a very good article but you decided to interject your frustration on something completely different. It never ends.
Thank you customgreen. The gay community needs to be patient - for a while longer. Obama inherited the gnarliest situation a president has ever walked into (at least since FDR). He has a world of trouble on his hands: two shooting wars; economic catastrophe; the healthcare debacle; environmental chaos,etc. The administration serves ALL the people, not just this interest group or that. They have to prioritize the issues. It is all about timing.
Give Obama time. He will serve your interests as long as you continue to support him. He will get to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," when the time is right. And only then will that policy change. But, he cannot wave a magic wand and solve every problem at once. That magic wand does not exist.
You should also remember Obama is not the only vote. Much like the Consumer Credit protection act that went before congress with things like a 15% interest cap...it came out useless. Besides, Gay marriage is a state to state issue...un
I am sorry if this sounds callous, it is not meant to. I think Gay Marriage SHOULD be allowed. However, much like what slaves and woman had to go through to attain equal rights, unfortunately, Gays will too. I am terribly sorry to hear about your children..
let's also not underestimate the importance of blacks' and hispanics' strong apprehension to make homosexuality maintstream. needless to say how the muslim world views homosexuality. he's appeasing all of these people.
The fedreal governement doesn't get involved because there just isn't the will to do so yet come election time there's plenty of will to ask for our money and vites with promises that mean less than nothing. Marriage isn't a tsate by state issue either because left to the staes it will never happen for every Gay person across the board and Obama and the rest of them know that. Leaving it to the states is just a convenient way to shrug off backing up all the talk without the walk. It's awlays going to be some excuse or other to wait and wait and wait. I never thought second class citizenship was something deserving of second place but for you and others, it is. I don't want your sympathy; I want a seat at the table and I want it now. It's just too bad that if that time ever comes, my kids won't be able to sit there and enjoy the 'meal' too.
Steamboater,
It never ceases to amaze me why some gays...and I don't like to lump every gay person into a category..
Now, as far as I can tell, just because one says they are gay does not physically limit your ability to be a father or mother...Y
made a decision that they "wanted" to become a father or mother in the natural way.
All of us have a mother & father whether we have connected or been able to connect with them or not.
You don't have children because you have decided not to take that root and no one forced you into that decision.
And I don't have children because I never had the opportunity to be married and have never actually wanted a family.
Single adults can and do make a contribution to society that married couples or married couples with children can not.
I sincerely suggest that you put some thought into it and realize that railing against fatherhood and motherhood and the concept of a nuclear family does not help you personally or helps your cause.
It does the reverse...
Where in my post did I "rally against fatherhood and motherhood"? You read what you wanted to read into it becasue of your whacky reasoning. In fact, This is the nuttiest thing I ever heard. I don't have children because I decided not to take that ("natural") root? Clinicly, I'm homosexual; this wasn't a decision on my part nor a choice. I don't have children because the state decided to take my children away from me. Using your 'logic' no one chould should adopt kids because the state not only has the right to take them from you but because you didn't open up your legs in order to get them. You didn't choose to have kids and you don't want them. Fine. Someone like like you should never have kids you don't want. My lover and I wanted kids and there's untold numbers of them out there in foster care who need loving homes and good parents. Should we let them stay there just because giving them a loving envirionment didn't come about as "natural"? It's unnatural to even think so. It's not Gays who have a difficult time with families but heteros like yourself who have more than a difficult time with our families.
Thank you Ms. Curtis for sharing this experience with us. You quoted your guide saying "..." When things are bad, share with others." I think this is a lesson many of us should learn, and practice.
True Lies was on last night - I paid attention to the Dance routine !
Ah. The perfect woman.
Wow...
I sit here at my computer..
This is one of the most positive things about the internet. While books provided a good journey, the momentary glimpses we see in many forms on the web should help us all to understand the world as a place to make peace with rather than constantly fight as the big unknown.
Nice article, Ms. Curtis.
The end of it reminded me of a quote I heard somewhere:
"Only the rats win the rat race."
We should all slow down, smell the roses and pay attention.
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