The Gaza Freedom March is an extraordinary event, one that seems particularly important in the movement and struggle for a free Palestine. 1300 people are preparing to converge in Cairo, people from 42 different countries with a range of ideas and motivations - it has all the ingredients for a powerful action. My hope is that the individual aspirations can come through beyond the territorial organizing of CODEPINK, because that organization, while one that should be commended and honored for its logistical efforts in bringing so many people together, is after all not the reason why people are going. It is inspiring to imagine the possibilities of what may come out of this action.
We need to be aware of the fact that people are converging because the conflict is so dire, the need so great, and the plea for international solidarity so loud, that the world sees no other alternative than to take action. CODEPINK is facilitating this, but the power and momentum lies within the hearts of every individual going, and every person supporting them who can not go.
Why am I going? A question that has been asked to me surprisingly few times. I wonder if its because most people who know me understand my motivations or rather that they are familiar enough with the situation to know that something must be done.
A few months ago a 5 1/2 year old friend of mine, Shiloh, asked me a very beautiful question. He was sitting on the floor of the living room, patiently, silently, and coloring while I gave a friend an acupuncture treatment. When I was finished putting in the needles I got up and Shiloh looked up at me and asked, "Mateo, are you thankful for all the gifts you have to offer?" I was rendered speechless for a moment. Such a profound question, one that I have pondered many times since he released it into my consciousness. I wanted to say, "No, but thank you for helping me try to honor myself and my work. Thank you, little teacher, little reminder of all that is beautiful in life." Instead I just looked at him and said that I felt thankful for him. The spirit of that question gives my heart a little more light when I am feeling darkness these days before I leave. And it give me pause for reflection about why I feel compelled to go to Gaza right now. It makes me feel tremendously sad to think about the mental state of 5 1/2 year olds in Gaza, who for their entire lives have experienced nothing but terror, violence, blood, death, pain, malnutrition, dehydration, disease, loss, homelessness, cold, rubble, hopelessness. I wonder if they have the ability to see their gifts, and to see the gifts of others.
When the bombs started falling terribly last December, I had the urge to drop everything in my life, leave school, go to Gaza, and see what I could do to help. A larger reality prevented me from going at that time, and now with hindsight I feel in a much better position to offer even more in this movement. Now equipped with a technical ability, one that can be taught, that can be of use for trauma and anxiety and depression and fear, I feel like I can carry so much more with me to Gaza than my intense desire for peace. Something both tangible and at the same time formless. And Shiloh's words remind me to be both humble and to honor my teachers and the teachings that I have received over the years. Teachings that had retreated, like a seed in the winter, within my own depths, waiting for the season to change and for the sun to shine on them and give them their sprouted form, to emerge in the world.
Today is the solstice, the time of year when the light begins to return. I hope these seeds can express themselves in the new sun of this year.
I can put my body on the line, I can bring my heart, but I must honor the gifts that I have been given, through all my teachers in life, and it seems like the best way to honor those teachings, those gifts, is to give them freely, generously, because these gifts are not property, they are not own-able, they do not belong to anyone, but to everyone.
I wanted to share two websites, one is from the Palestine Education Project (PEP) http://thinkpalestineact.org/ and the other is the Freedom March website, www.gazafreedommarch.org
They both have excellent information about the conflict, historically and today, and the PEP website is particularly useful in education, and contains numerous videos and musical pieces about the situation.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
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