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Trip Start Jan 03, 2008
1
14
15
Trip End Feb 07, 2008


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Thursday, February 7, 2008

I just barely made it out of Viet Nam. First of all, Viet Nam captured my soul. My favorite country to have visited. Secondly, there was a problem at immigrations. Apparently when I entered the country they never stapped my passport. I thought they were going to make me stay. But the guards were very friendly and after making some calls decided to let me go.

Hanging out here one day before going home gives me time to think. While most of my trips are usually filled with philosophical thoughts and spiritual lessons, most of this trip has been just one wonderful experience after another. Not much reflection. My feeling is that the lesson of this trip was saved for the end.

While I didn't share a lot about my friendships in Viet Nam, they have left me feeling troubled and sad. It may be that the people themselves are troubled and sad, while at the same time polite and warm. There is a strong contradiction in their lives that I either picked up or the country brought it out in me.

One of the women there, who could only speak a few words of English, told me how "not good" it is "to be one, not two." It made me think about myself and how often I am "one" and "not two."  There are a lot of advantages to being one...and a lot of disadvantages. Part of me wants to go back to Viet Nam and "be two." That, however, would be a very high cost to pay, and I don't think I could pay it. But, I'll have to think about it. Two sounds awfully good right about now.

Meanwhile, the Pink Eye continues to hamper my doing anything. Looking forward to coming home and seeing Gina's smile, hearing Angela's laugh, my mom's "Hi Hon," getting a hug from my Dad and son-in-law, seeing my grandchildren play, hearing my sister's "Hey Bro," listening to Frankie talk my ear off about his latest project, getting back to the office and seeing Dana, Eileen, Elaine, and Cheryl. I really appreciate all that I have...and don't have.

Oh, one more thing. I have noticed that when everything seemed to go to shit this last week, the rain and cold, my lack of vision, all night bus trips, I hardly ever complained or though about things being different. It was as it was and the good comes with the not so good. I realized that I had changed somewhere inside. There is a softness there that wasn't there not that long ago.

Well, signing off from Thailand. This has been my best adventure so far. I'm off for my last two hour Thai massage. Will be home late Thursday night.
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