Simple life

Have been flitting between studies, caring for the birds and doing some important stuff outside the house (documentation work for other people). Am trying to take things easy as my BP shot up again yesterday. Had a rough time the day before. Matteo (our italian student) is very nice and has been around for the past days to chat and just to make sure things are ok.

Anyway the new medicine is pretty ok except it's causing me to have a continuous asthma wheeze. I can't strain or walk far or do strenuous things as a result. And there's a tightness round the chest all the time. Will have to go back to the doc for another change of medicine. And no I can't say I'm back to normal as psychologically, emotionally and physically I am very stretched to the limit. So I'm just locking myself in my room most of the time to avoid unnecessary problems, and I don't answer phones or Skype anymore. I just want to be alone. Its good Matteo stops by once in a while to help me regain some normality.

This morning I went out to East Jerusalem to collect something left for me by a group, then walked 2 km uphill to Notre Dame institute to get some other things and also to meet with the Legionaries of Christ as I have some important matters to settle for 2 chinese clergy coming to study here next year. Then I took a long walk back to my monastery. Everything done slowly as I can't rush anymore.

Its Friday and the Muslim crowd is gathering in the Golden domed Mosque for prayers. I've been noticing the kids that play around the streets here and thought how simple their life is: with a stick or a rubber tyre they can play for hours. An old man carries a big box filled with small brown paper bags. Kids pay a shekel and choose a packet of surprise - usually some plastic toy that we once played way back 30 years and you can't find them on sale anymore in HK or S'pore. The kids get excited, exchange with each other, play ..... all wearing clothes that have been past down probably 5 or 6 times - torn, stained; noses running, fingernails dirty, but they are so happy laughing and playing. Another man pushes a cart selling boiled corn. School kids spend one shekel to buy this treat and sit along the streets eating it. I'm sure they want something better in life, but the reality is that this is what they have to live with, and they choose to enjoy it rather than curse it. Guys make a living selling kebab on carts, others make a living taking photos of tourists and selling them. Streets stinking of urine and spit; road corners stacked with rubbish, people walking over them, around them. I have - despite the many years that I've been here - suddenly found how different this world is from HK or S'pore - the struggle to survive, the joy in simple things, the grime of reality. And I am now a part of this world. And I love it.