here

I have taken to listening to books on tape while I work. This new habit has made me crave weeding opportunities so that I can venture to Hogwarts or the circus or Afghanistan. My body remains in the garden, working without realizing it. I just finished listening to ‘A thousand splendid suns’ by Khalad Hosseini. This book took me into the lives of two women in Afghanistan. And it made me so glad that I am here. That it’s only my imagination that has delved into the hopelessness, fear, and terror of war-stricken Kabul. My body is safe and free here in the garden. I have no fear that I will blow up at any second, or that anyone I love will be killed in front of me. I can walk through the streets without being beaten. I can eat if I am hungry, drink if I am thirsty. Life here is so incredibly, simply peaceful. As I bike home from my weeding job I see an old man making his way slowly towards the senior center with a cane. He is probably on his way to chat with friends, play some bingo or gin rummy. A woman jogs down the shaded, tree lined street with her baby in a stroller. Seeing through the eyes of the two women in the book, these images are miracles in themselves. The issues of violent death, fear, hunger or thirst rarely surface here. Why can’t people stop fighting, give up grudges and revenge and just let peace happen? Put your weapons down and go home and live! It should be so simple but we have tangled ourselves into such a ridiculous knot of jealousy and hatred and self-righteousness and pride and money and power that world peace seems like a distant dream. I wish I know how to help untangle that knot.