Love conquers all.: IRELAND!

5th Stop: Dublin, Waterford, Dungarvan, Glendalough, Prosperous, Ireland

with Anne in Dublin

baaaAAAAAA sheeps on rolling hills is much of what you picture Ireland to be. But even before I got to Ireland, my adventure started already. I was going from Zurich to London, then London to Dublin the next morning. As I caught the last train from Rhine Falls to Zurich (thank GOD) to catch my train to Zurich Airport, just imagine what I would do in the middle of nowhere trying to get into Zurich.

Since I flew with Easyjet, you can’t expect that much, as the flight ended up being delayed by a few hours, and then I just happen to start talking to a man behind me in line as I was waiting. I shared with him about my travel experience and adventures, then about my experience in Loppiano, which he remarked by saying, “sounds like a cult- but just joking.” I didn’t really care since everyone has their own opinion, but anyways we ended up going back and forth on the topic of having respect for others, and he didn’t seem to agree much about having respect for people that don’t have the “right” views-for example one who stands up for racism. And although I didn’t agree all the time with what he said, I just listened and tried to respect him in whatever he thought. Also I realized proving him wrong, or trying to would have no point, although humanly-speaking we always want to get our point across because WE think it’s right. But in the end, what matters really isn’t who’s right because each individual should be respected in whatever they say. I guess we maybe had a different definition of respect. Because for me, respect is this mutual love for one another treating each person as a brother or sister surpassing the barriers which makes us different.

I wanted to treat him the way I would have wanted to be treated, to be listened to, and to be respected. But as we sat waiting for our delayed flight by about 2 hours, we somehow started talking about science and religion. As he started talking about this, he hesitated because he perceived it to be a sensitive matter. But I obviously wanted to listen and to understand his point of view. And again, we definitely didn’t have the same views, but as he spoke I listened, and as I spoke he also listened. It was amazing because we didn’t get into a conflict like the beginning, and I’m sure you know whenever this topic comes up, it is a classic debate where everyone just wants to get THEIR point across.

I tried my best to put myself in his shoes, to see things the way he saw even though I had a very different perspective, because there would be no space for dialogue if I just saw things from my perspective. It always seems to be that way in society, that we see things from our way, our past, our thoughts, our opinions, and everything of OUR. But anyways, as we spoke endlessly, he commented saying, “wow, you’ve been really cool about this, we just met and we’re talking about this.”

The conversation only reached that point because I think it takes that first step to just love, to listen, to try to understand the OTHER, without letting the “ME” and “I” get in the way. But do we take that step to put ourselves in the OTHERS’ shoes, to put the OTHER before ourself?
We need to try in each moment, to LOSE our ego, the SELF, and to think beyond US, and to think of, to help, to LOVE the OTHER, no matter the differences.

Just to say, maybe you figured that he was an Atheist, and I am a Christian, with somewhat opposite views, but in the end I treat him like a brother, because in the heart of each individual, we are made the same way, from the same origin, part of the same HUMAN FAMILY.

As we got on the plane, he saved me a seat, he offered to help me bring my luggage in the cabin, and offered his candy. We ended not debating no more, but just talking and sharing beyond what makes us different. That is UNITY, that is this universal brotherhood I want to build in the world, that is the SOMETHING GREATER I live for. Unity is bringing together people who come from different backgrounds, beliefs, cultures, religions, and etc but with mutual love for one another.

[On a side note, he is a professional Opera singer, and if you listened to Opera, you would probably know his name]

Dungarvan (where the Mariapolis was)

So we parted ways, finally after arriving past midnight, then helping these girls with their luggage I finally laid out my sleeping bag behind the chapel curtain at Gatwick Airport to get a “goodnight’s” rest. The next morning I was off to Dublin, and easily enough met my friend Anne from Scotland. We were heading to meet someone about 9 miles away from Dublin Centre, and guess what? We walked since we had the time, strength, fitness and energy, walked beside the railroad tracks for 3 hours until we reached our destination. Who is crazy enough to do that after 4 hours of sleep waking up every hour?

So we were heading to the Mariapolis, annual gathering of people, families, for a summer retreat held by the Focolare Movement on the coast of Dungarvan (2.5 hours from Dublin). Usually every year I make it to the one in Canada, but this year was quite special as I went to Ireland! It’s different people, a different culture, somewhat different language but not really, a different place, but it is the same atmosphere. The place where everyone who comes tries to live this basic rule of “love,” loving everyone, and treating the other as you want to be treated to bring unity amongst us.

our house-United World

We had a treasure hunt around the city working together, went to the beach to play sports and games (freezing cold water), danced the Ceili (Irish Dance), every night there was the Pub...of course there were also moments of talks and discussion. But more so, it is a “living camp” where everyone tries to practice the way of life of “Love.” I stayed with a group of girls in a house, where we had to cook and clean together. But I mean in whatever we did whether it was cooking or playing, we tried to help one another, listen to one another, and have mutual love for one another.

The 5 days I was there wasn’t always easy as you can imagine living in a house with 9 other females, but I mean I did live in a house in Italy (Loppiano) with 50 other girls from around the world. But to be honest I think at times I couldn’t help but compare the two experiences which made it really difficult for me. I was holding onto the memory I had in those 9 months at Loppiano, remembering all the experiences I had lived, the unity I had built with each one of the girls, and the feeling of being in paradise on earth. I knew deep down I had to lose in a sense that memory, not to physically forget, but to a certain extent detach myself from that memory because I couldn’t fully live in the “PRESENT MOMENT.”

Memories are of the past, stored away in our hearts and minds, but in order to feel FREE, we can’t hold on, we can’t hold on to that person, or that moment, or that object. In order to fully love who is in front of you, or live fully in the present moment, we need to be “NOTHING,” to lose all our OWN thoughts, preoccupations, memories, and anything that is of “Mine and Self.” But to think, help, and love the “OTHER,” in each present moment of each day.

Care to Try?