A "Cool Heart" once cool removed all the way to The Killing Fields.

Hello All,

First bit of news I found out why you couldn't post a response on my blog site and that has been fixed so feel free to comment away.

Second bit of good news. To see my pictures you will see the URL address just cut and past the address and you will get them. It was way to difficult to get the pictures right on to my blog. My freind thinks it is to stop people from putting up ads. Anyway it was much harder to post pictures then anyone thought. I will take of a year off my title and become Jon 2011 for this faux pas.

In Thailand they have an expression called a Cool Heart. This means that you never loose your cool because then you loose your heart, you loose what really matters. Anger they believe is stupid and an emotion that takes you nowhere. This principle is also tied to letting things go.If you live with a Cool Heart when things make you angry or frustrated (Trust me it happens all day in a third world country) you let them go right away. You don't stay mad at those you love and like & you don't give power to a situation that has no power. The only power it has is the power you give it. The concept that "That person has just ruined my day" makes no sense to them. Only you can ruin your day by not having a Cool Heart. I share this with all of you because although I have a big heart, I also have an Italian Heart and I can get angry and frustrated easily. I have had to confront this dead on since my journey began.

I was out with a group friends in Cambodia last night after seeing this beautiful musical called When Elephants Weep. It was a production with New York actors and a full blown Broadway production. After the show, Mags (short for Margaret) this Australian teacher explained why Cambodian people have a hard time figuring out basic things. The country could run a million times better by just lets say, putting plexi-glass in front of the motor drivers so the dirt doesn't hit him or you in the face. Trust me there are and endless stream of things like that. Even buying a bar of soap could be so annoying. Mags said that "There is a thing called deductive thinking and that in thrid world countries their brains are not trained to think that way. As a teacher who teaches English she has to also teach deductive thinking." The convesation was fascinating and brought me to a new level of patience and understanding.

My first night in a 5 star hotel in Bangkok they wrere jack hammering for renovations on the 17th floor. I was on the 14th floor. When the hotel manager came up to hear my loud complaint.
He kept shouting at me that ""the drilling Sir, is way up on the 17th floor" well I lost it and was shouting back "You have to yell at me to communicate & I don't care what floor it is on, the Goddam mirrior is shaking." Well he moved me to the Penthouse and gave me a VIP pass to the Penthouse bar with unlimted drinks and food. I was on the verge of tears yelling at this guy (I just traveld for 24 hours and was exhausted) but I felt really bad becasue I could tell he was shocked at how upset I was. Thus he was experiencing my Un-Cool Heart. I write all of this to say that my Amercian approach (right as I was) didn't really serve me and I see the situation and a way out of it in a very differnt light.

On to The Killing Fields. I cried like a baby. The grounds are horrific enough but then you have children by the fence begging you to take their piture and give them money. I was giving bills away as fast as I could. Mans inhumanity to man will NEVER seize to amaze me and horrify me. I understand the Buddist principle that life is suffering. Sure your parent dies, your best friend, a child is ill, etc. I get pain and suffering as part of the human condition. But the suffering of a Killing Fields or Nazi Germany...Really we need to endure that kind of suffering. Oh it is all too much especially being in this poor poor country.

I take a 6 hour boat ride to Siem Reap tomorrow to finally see Angkor Watt and Angkor Tom and I am so excited.

I have now added Loas to my journey becasue all of my fellow travelers say it is a must. I have the time and it feels right. Then on to Vietnam, Bali, and a new set of Thai Islands but really who knows.

I move on so greatful for my ability for deductive thinking and a Cool Heart.

xo J