Pokhara market, and "global love"

This one is of the market area here in Pokhara. There are three different street markets all near each other: New Road, Chipledhunga (meaning 'large rock' - there is a big rock on one of the street corners), and Mahendrapool (meaning 'king's bridge' - there is a bridge named by, not after, a king nearby).



Lastly, I wanted to share this op-ed I read in Nepal's largest selling English newspaper, "The Kathmandu Post." It is called "Global Love," and was written by Bhuwan Thapaliya yesterday, June 15; it describes so much of how I am feeling here in Pokhara! If you are interested, you can find the original post at the following website: http://www.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2010/06/15/oped/global-love/209441/

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We call our modern world a “global village”, but the bitter truth is that modern society is as isolated, disintegrated and fragile as ever. Considering so, I believe that the globalisation of love is the cry of this century. You may well exclaim in astonishment: can the globalisation of love ever be realised? My answer is yes. Let us love each other, and light the lamp of universal solidarity to lift the darkness from every corner of this world.

You may say that it is impossible, but we will never be successful in pushing the boundaries if we simply stick to things we already know are achievable. I sincerely believe that all humans are closely interrelated and are stalwartly connected by the quintessence of their humanity.

We are all analogous — one to another. There are no separate humans: in the entire universe, humans are basically the same. Their eyes wish to see the panorama of love. Their ears wish to hear the symphony of love. And their hearts wish to be embraced by love. So I don’t believe in a personal God. I believe in the universal God called Love.

I have an enormous love for my wonderful nation but it is not merely the land of my birth that I love. I am a global citizen of my own imagination and I love all the nations of this precious world of ours with equal grace, because humans are the offspring of the divine seed called love.

We are alive because of God but we are living because of Love. In my opinion, there is no heaven and no hell. If there is anything, there is the caste of love and as the snow melts in the sunshine, desolation melts upon the dawn of love. Truly, it is love that sustains us and transcends our life with its interminable warmth.

O’ brothers, O’ sisters, all arise! Get off your couch and step into the real world and see bloodless skeletons of the living dead, loitering in the street; a heart of stone without a trace of soul. Go out to places you don’t know. Eat the foods you haven’t tasted before and wear the costumes you haven’t worn before. Talk to people you don’t understand, and understand the people whom you fear.

Be with them who are too weak to stand up for what they believe in, and be with them who are left behind by the injustices of society. Be with them, and let them be with you. Put your hands around their shoulders and walk a mile or two with them, and tell them that everything will be fine — democracy and humanity still work.

Remember, life is not permanent. Don’t become addicted to yourself only. Set yourself free from yourself and taste life with all its sweetness. Go, stroll beyond your own life and explore the life of those who are struggling for their survival on the battlefield of hunger and strife.

Go, unearth the humanitarian legacies and carry them forward, for the betterment of humanity. Then the globalisation of love can certainly be achieved, my friend.

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