5-2 Antakya

It is around that time in the trip where social dynamics start to break down, when students start missing their parents, and when students need to be reminded that they are the only support network for each other while in Turkey. So we started this day with a morning meditation.

Morning Meditation:

Remember an unexpected event

The newness of the situation

The pleasure of exploring

The Joy.

Now think of another time

A time when you were expecting something to happen

And it didn't.

Or, it was not as you expected.

How it felt to be let down

How it did not match what you wanted.

The only difference in the two events and your interaction to them is your expectation.

Expectation is based on history

your knowledge of the situation

your conditioning

Your dreams about what might have been.

Think of your different reactions to the two events.

The first: the joy, the pleasure, is based on your lack of expectation

The second is based on your expectation not occurring

They are both you

You are responsible for your reaction

You are responsible for your reality.

I am not saying that bad things don't happen.

I am not saying that things don't happen outside of your control.

They do.

But you can be responsible for how you interact with what happens. 

Think of a time when you were angry, frustrated, bored, impatient, jealous

Were you accepting what is?

Did you take responsibility for your state of mind?

Or did you blame someone else?

Think of a time when you were mad at a friend or a family member because you interpreted events in a certain way

Only later, when you weren't reacting, 

when you thought about it calmly, 

you interpreted events totally differently.

It is all about you

Your mood

Your judgment

Your interpretation.

You created your reality.

It is like watching a movie and you are a character in the movie

Not realizing that you are the projector as well.

You are the projector of your reality.

If we accept that our moods color our reactions

If we accept responsibility for our reality

Then we can change the script

We can change the projection.

We can choose to be a victim

Or we can choose to take responsibility.

Now think back on your first two projections:

The first - the surprise, the joy

The second - you were let down

It is all about what we ourselves bring to the events that occur.

Do we bring a lot of baggage - our history, our conditioning, our expectations?

Or can we let go and just be present in the moment?

Your senses can help to ground you.

What do you see?

What do you feel?

What do you hear?

What do you taste?

If you are present to what is

Then you are not concerned with what might be

Or what you want to be

Next time you are in a disagreement

Try to interact without judgment

Try to be present to what is

Without thinking in your "lawyer mode"

About how to defend

Or how to win.

Just listen.

Something magical happens when we go into a situation "fresh"

Without judgment or interpretation.

I think we are sensing with our heart

Being present to what is allows connection

The heart opens up

Compassion grows

Empathy grows

Love grows

Appreciation grows.

Some people say that we cannot forcibly let go of our expectations, of our conditioning

What we can do is accept them

And when we accept them, they let go of us.

Tansule arranged for us a one hour meeting with the mayor of Antakya.

The mayor with our national guide Yavuz translating

The mayor spoke about a lot of things. He pointed out that Antakya was the place of the first Jewish synagogue in Asia Minor, the first Christian church, the first Muslim mosque. And all three religions lived peacefully together. All religious holidays were celebrated by all faiths. In fact, the first mosque in Asia Minor was named after a Christian saint. When other civilizations conquered foreign lands, they did not allow the previous beliefs to persist. but when Asia Minor was conquered by Muslim invaders, they allowed Judaism and Christianity to continue to flourish, which shows the tolerance of Islam. He ended by saying, "We are now in the production business of peace, and what we are producing is love. the whole world needs this love."

The mayor then allowed the students to ask questions. The following questions were asked:

How does being a doctor affect how you run the city?

What specific steps are you taking to clean up the environment?

How is this region affected by the current and past issues with Armenians?

What are your thoughts on Iran's nuclear power controversy?

How has the current Syrian situation impacted Hatay?

He was very diplomatic,  answering all the questions without really offending anyone. His answers went on a bit too long.

Exchange of gifts, with the Head of our pen-pal school looking on. The mayor gave Evergreen school a beautiful plaque, and we gave him our Turkey trip t-shirt. We need to bring better gifts next time.

Group shot

We then walked to our second pen-pal school

Grace with her pen pal

Lila and her pen pals

Emily and her pen pal

Sara and her pen pal

The adults were treated to an incredible feast. Once again, the hummus was amazing.

pumpkin dessert

Nathaniel had a bunch of fans (once again)

Eli giving instructions to our students and their pen pals on times which they could arrange to meet again.

Alicia with the 2nd grade English teacher

Kristine and her pen pal

Marla and pen pal

This was an amazing pen pal visit. So many connections were made. Because the hotel is walking distance from the school, numerous pen pals made arrangements to come to our hotel to spend more time with their new Evergreen friends. And more arrangements are being made for our free afternoons the next couple of days. This so so exciting!

Today was Isaac's birthday, and tomorrow is Isha's, so we celebrated at an ice cream shop

I think all the pen pals showed up for the party

Evergreen students and their pen pals

5-3:

I got word last night that my good friend James Lovell and his wife Mai lost their child Harrison An Bui Lovell yesterday. I have no words for them but a strong sadness and a stronger feeling of love and support. So I share with you his words:

Friends, Family, Colleagues, 

We are grieved beyond words to let you all know that our little boy, Harrison An Bui Lovell, lost his battle yesterday. An infection burned through him since Monday night and we held him up until the last minute yesterday afternoon. The doctors did all they could. We will love him until the day we see him again, and forever after that.

Theodore is strong, and has his brother watching over him now. He still needs all of our prayers.

The photo attached is what remains of our chain – smaller, but unbroken. We don’t need anything but your love, right now.

Thank you, Harrison, for 19 days of absolute joy as you taught us true love, true happiness, and the meaning of life. We will be with you again. As one.

For those of you who are interested, we have been documenting their story day-by-day on their blog - http://harrisonandtheo.wordpress.com/ . You are welcome to share this information with anyone. It can be an emotional read, now, since we know how one of the chapters end. But it should also fill you with the love that he brought to us for the last 19 days. This blog is also where we will be posting information about next steps as we try to pick up the pieces and move forward with the memory and spirit of our son, and the life of our other son. 

Love to all, as one. 

James and Mai
            (206) 349-5576 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            (206) 349-5576      end_of_the_skype_highlighting      

This morning I woke very early. A great sadness hit me again, and as I sat and tried to process this event, other people's words came to me.

p. 134-6: Imagine you have the ability to see the world with different eyes, whenever you choose. Each time you open your eyes, you see the world around you in a different way . . . Imagine living your life without fear of expressing your dreams. . . . Imagine living your life without fear of being judged by others. . . . Imagine living your life without judging others. . . . Imagine living your life without fear of loving and being loved. . . . You can walk in the world with your heart completely open, and not be afraid to be hurt. . . . Imagine living your life without being afraid to take a risk and to explore life. You are not afraid to lose anything. . . . Imagine that you love yourself just the way you are.

Don Miguel Ruiz

“What is before us is not a ‘problem to be solved’ but a mystery to be honored. . . . The Only gift we have to offer in this moment is our undivided attention. . . . We learn to ‘Practice presence’ when we sit with a dying person – to treat the space between us as sacred, to honor the soul and its destiny.”

Parker Palmer

"In the end we discover that to love and let go can be the same thing. Both ways do not seek to possess. Both allow us to touch each moment of this changing life and allow us to be there fully for whatever arises next."

Jack Kornfield