Long Walks On Leafy Streets |
11/24/24 |
Rock Creek, Washington DC, Nov 19, 2024 |
An immigrant's love letter to America |
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11-18-24, McMillan Reservoir, Washington, DC |
I tell myself that, in the grand scheme of things, our life and the events in it will be just a blimp in history. I decided a few years ago that the best thing to do is to be a loving, caring person and make as many people happy as possible. It is hard to do because there is a lot of anger and disappointment in me at the moment. I try to send some love and compassion to myself and everyone in the world, wishing everyone happiness and peace, regardless of who they are or what they did. Being with nature, such as with the Canada geese that just arrived (albeit a bit late, as they have been in recent years) helps in getting out of one's little ego and to connect with the force that is beyond our little world of worries. It has been a tremendous exercise in mindfulness, alright. |
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July 4 2008, Ala Moana, Honolulu, HI |
Americans don’t know how much we appreciate this country. They take it for granted but this country gave us a new life and a new world of opportunities just like it did for generations of immigrants. We bring fresh energy, ideas and talents in a continuous stream. This is part of the blood circulation of this country where someone like me feels fresh possibilities and energy and confidence. It is possible I would have had a comfortable life in India, but the truth is, for whatever reason I came here, I stayed because I love this country and its people. And yes, I know what native Americans and African Americans went through. And yes, I marched against the Iraq war. |
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Obama Inauguration 2009, Washington DC |
We don't want America to go through what Russia, India and Hungary have been going through. I have been watching in horror as my beloved India slips further under the grip of of oligarchs and religious power brokers and unscrupulous politicians trying to convert it to a theocracy. The pattern has been clear. A conservative minority takes control of the media and the courts and suppresses the voice of the poor and the left-leaning section of the educated middle class. There is still hope in India especially, that democracy will prevail, but it is not guaranteed. |
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Lower 9th Ward, New Orleans, 2011 |
But misinformation doesn’t spread in a vacuum. People believe what they want to believe. Unless we make a conscious effort to seek differing opinions, we are all subject to confirmation bias.
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July 2010, Natural History Museum, Washington, DC |
This is not to say that the backlash of the socks and wocks explains everything. They say dysfunctional families are unhappy in a thousand ways. So it is difficult to point at any one thing. My aim here is not to debate the election but to try and analyze the root causes for the state we find ourselves in. So what are some other root causes of the dysfunction? |
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San Francisco, June 2011 |
I have been wanting to see "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" for a long time. After the elections it felt like a good way to distract myself. It felt disjointed and even mildly disturbing in the first half but I started enjoying the comedy behind it. In the end, it turned out to be just a romantic comedy, but with some great dialogue, direction, and narrative structure. It also brought forth some of the dysfunction in contemporary America and perhaps in the modern world itself. A lot of people are detached from their roots and thus feel hollow inside. Some hide it behind hyper masculinity, others behind obsession with sports or hobbies yet others with over-achieving or intellectual superiority. True satisfaction comes from loving and serving others and luckily there are enough Americans who do that. |
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Stupa, KPC Tibetan Buddhist temple Peace Park, Poolesville, MD. |
One could find such religious leaders in many parts of the world. You can go to church or Mosque or Temple as much as you want and practice all the ritual and meditation and prayer and everything but if you don’t have love in your heart and if you haven’t overcome your ego, then it doesn’t matter. That explains why the societies in India and the Middle East are still stuck in the Middle Ages. It is very difficult to build a society purely based on peace and love, and few exist. Whether the religion is Islam or Christianity or Buddhism or some other religion, they are all based on peace and love. But unless the people are able to see God in everyone, there will always be conflict. |
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Sunrise, Rehoboth Beach, DE, July 2023 |
It's not just about the economy either, although for many who are struggling that's all that matters now. The best leadership doesn't just promise reward but some higher purpose. You might have heard the story of a janitor at the Florida space center who told JFK that he is not just keeping the place clean but making travel to the moon possible. |
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