and let all the people say "Amen"....

According to the Webster dictionary, the word “amen” is an expression used at the end of prayers, and means:” So be it”.

At the end of a creed, it is a solemn asseveration of belief. When it introduces a declaration, it is equivalent to "truly, verily."

Another definition of the word says it is an expression “to approve warmly, to concur in heartily or emphatically; to ratify; as,
"I say Amen to all !" "

Lastly, I found an “esoteric” definition of Amen which means "who brings forth the hidden forms of things, the eternal workman, embodying the primitive ideas, is Wisdom,the author of being, the source of all life ... Goodness.”

Today the word "Amen "came in the form of a 5-year old Muslim boy at the foot of my balcony …A bit shy at first, Amen looked at me for a few moments as I sat and had my usual morning cup of coffee.


He has walked by my bungalow at this time for weeks now but has never stopped…until this morning..


Amen just stopped dead in his tracks this time, looked up at me , a bit seriously at first and within seconds he was smiling and making silly poses for me. And then, without a moment's notice, he proceeded to walk right up to my balcony, and made his way calmly into my little plastic white chair.

He then proceeded to carry on a conversation with me, all in Thai.


We didn’t know much of each other’s language (at all) but for the next 20 minutes, I laughed and loved from the very bottom of my gut with this most beautiful and playful young child. We hugged, gave each other high-five’s, took pictures of each other and just giggled a heck of a lot…Amen also seemed to have a particular affection for sitting upside down in chairs and talking at the same time..he didnt even blink a second as he just slid with his head over the edge of the plastic white seat and proceeded to talk to me, as if there was nothing wierd or strange about what he was doing.


I even showed Amen the pictures and video clip I took of him. He was absolutely fascinated . I think this may have been the very first time he has seen himself on film. What a wonderful moment to be a witness of.



Amen continued to walk right into my bungalow, had a look around, picked up some things off my floor and even was courteous enough to gently close my closet door with a special wooden latch I had never taken notice of before.

And then, without a word, he quietly walked out my door, waved good-bye , and strolled away, back to his little wooden home down the little dirt path to his wonderful little world of being a five-year old kid.

You, my dear open-hearted child, is what goodness to me is all about..

Amen…

a dedication to mother nature..

I have just spent the past 5 days in one of the most beautiful parts of this planet- the area around Aonang and Railay beach continues to take my breath away year after year. It always seems like a dream when I return here. And even though the beaches are dotted with dozens of tourists, my eyes, ears, and spirit always seem to soar right up to the most awe-inspiring masses of rock in the distance...



mother nature is awesome....let's keep taking care of her.

the magic of a smile..

One can never be reminded enough of the power and innocence of a true smile...a smile from the gut, whether taken off guard or a bit posed..it is our way of shining our inside light to the outside world...

here are just some of the beautiful smiles I have come across in just the past 24 hours from both locals and "farangs" alike...

thinking of you...

from the official "land of smiles"..

a feast for the eyes...

With chinese new years , a solar eclipse and my being in a amazingly well-lit town, I thought I would just take a moment to share with you the many "light-filled" sights I have seen in just the past 24 here in Aonang. Both Mother Nature and General Electric compete for my attention here as I meander the streets of this tourist-laden town.

enjoy ..... and "Guey Hay Fat Choy!"

Outside the norm...

So I decided to help out my friends Lee and Kate and do some television “presenting” for our local Krabi TV channel. It is a bit like the travel channel for the Thai people here , runs 22 hours a day (!), and has a viewership of around 30,000 people in Thailand. I thought this was a good chance for me to get out of my normal bungalow “cha cha ”(slow, slow) routine and do something fun and creative for a few days , work with great people, meet some of the local thais, and get a chance to do some of my own photo shooting as well.





We are in the town of Aonang right now…a big tourist spot for many westerners here in Thailand. Most carry on to the infamous beaches of Tonsai and Railay from here to do some world class rock-climbing .


I feel very far from my simple life on Lanta, yet, I am only 2 hours away. There are neon lights everywhere, fast food chains that line the main streets, supermarkets larger than 7-11’s and tailors everywhere asking me if I would like a new silk dress.




Yet I don’t feel offended or sad this time around. I have been here several times before and I have now come to peace with this “thing” called “western expansion”. People find and need comfort knowing they have a clean room with a TV, an air-conditioner, and a good burger available to eat at a moment’s notice. This is how so much of the traveling world now operates and though I am not like this average traveler, I know that these people are there .


My acceptance of the western world's presence here has more easily come about in recent months. I know that the locals are benefitting financially by this expansion and there is no one begging for food or spare change here; everyone seems generally happy..this is a good thing, compared to many other parts of this world that I have been to.







My only concern is that the making of the "almighty dollar" will overtake the true gift of connection and serving others. When greed takes over, and one's ulterior motive is just about making a profit, this will be the end of true cultural exchange.





This hasn’t happened too much yet here. I have seen nothing but sincere smiles being shared and plenty of “sawatdee ka’s” to fill any cynic’s heart with a bit of good will and trust.


So as I spend my next few days here, reviewing restaurants, hotels, and local sites, I am keeping in mind that everyone needs and wants to feel appreciated. And with this in mind, I extend my hand and smile whenever possible and find I receive the most priceless souvenir in return: kindness.



Have a nice day…