Agora Means Now

(Photo, Lisbon February 2006)

Text below borrowed from M in Beijing at http://nablasquared.blogspot.com/ ,

it was posted independently in response to "Tomorrow", because it couldn't appear in that post as a comment.

I have thought aso much about all of the thoughtful comments that came in at the beginning of the week. I have decided that I will not add a follow-up, because this is not 'Oprah'. In the end, I realised that I had lit a touch-paper and it became a forum, with so many incisive, unique views, which I welcome whole-heartedly.

Last night, M asked me to come and read this. I found that it also added something important, the comment I made to it there actually serves for many of us. I see it as a strength when they are prepared to expose in public their observation & feelings of their own weaknesses in such a way. No moralising, no judgements. But conscience and awareness that heralds the possibility to use the strengths we have. The impact of that photograph mentioned towards the end is exactly what I felt. I just also want to add one thing, regarding Pequete's comments on the difference between small town and large city. I observe the same. Yet, it is also not impossible to go further in the large city. It is my intention to illustrate it soon.

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Re to Mile Stones 20061210 post

Dear Stewart, I feel sorry to come here so late. I'm sorry I can't have more to say -- I tried but I failed. (Moreover so many have already been said.) Memories and emotions and thoughts are choking me. Tomorrow. Christmas. Portuguese national flag. Wheelchair. Bank. Homeless. No I can't work it out. I always fail to work things out.
Once again I began thinking about things happening in China. I'm not going to write about them because there is too much to tell. I can't say whether things are better or worse here: I'm not justified to *make comparison* between these tragic scenes…
Then I remembered something. In August I met with a stranger in Beijing. He is from Italy and has been here two years ago. He showed me some photos he took during his last stay here. It was a girl he met in downtown Beijing -- a girl about sixteen or younger then, wearing the outfit that was typical of the Rural China -- but Oh God! I still feel the shock -- Her face had been totally distorted and disfigured by a terrible sickness. It was no longer human face.
The girl and her father came to the capital city of China from a poverty-stricken place for medical treatment but used all their money. They begged in the subway entrance, but the poor girl's face scared people off. And the "social security system" doesn't seem to be working well in China.
The Italian met them not long before he left China. He could speak some Chinese. He promised to help them and requested their home address. But his life was always on the run and the connection was lost together with the note page where the address was written. So he showed me then the photos and asked whether I had seen this girl. No.
I think what I felt then has something in common with my current feelings after seeing your photo. Misery and compassion swallowed me then with the shock. The Italian asked me whether I could help and I told him I could not. Then I realized my weakness -- I often lose heart when such things happen. I told myself the chance to find her was minimal. I gave up. I felt sad as if I were giving up a person I should have been able to help.
I suggested the man several possible ways to get help but I know they were not very likely to help really. We haven't met since then and nothing was heard about the Italian and the girl. I don't even know if the girl's sickness was dangerous to life, if she's still alive.
I also noticed your link to "Just one day of peace". In fact Dark Darling has notified me about that. Again my weakness prevented me from saying anything on that page. I know it. I can't help. But …
Thank you, Stewart. Once again I saw my own weakness, this time in the mirrored image from your photo. I am short in action.
But isn't it the same I who quoted the motto Laborare est orare? I am working and am praying but I don’t take actions…