on turning the corner

hey! you've found the place where pablo's blog is posted: here you'll find an alternative window on the world, enhanced with poetic reflections and some passport trails to track pablo's globehopping ventures — enjoy!

January 17, 2007

Waiting for…?

In a post–modern world the notion of simply waiting for something is neither desired nor celebrated. A modern concept of the present merely as a prelude to the brighter reality of the future has been replaced by the instantaneity of the present moment, which must be experienced in all its fullness. But the waiting is not fullness, it is empty. The present moment must be filled: with noise, stimulation, frantic energy, motion.

Imagine my frustration at being stuck in Paris on my return from Colombia. Actually, being stuck in Paris would have been nice. Being stuck in the airport at the departure gates was not. alarm clock Three cancellations later, I did eventually get back to London sans baggage. Luggage turned up in Oxford a day later, and I just managed to stop the courier from delivering it to an anonymous next door neighbour.

One week later (passing through another airport en route to Latvia), I had time to pause and reflect. I recalled two young friends of mine, sister and brother aged 12 and 14, who had got stuck waiting at Cali bus terminus last month. It was waiting of the worst kind: not waiting for a bus, not waiting for a taxi — no, it was much more existential than that. They were waiting to know they belonged: that they were loved, appreciated, wanted.

How painful to discover that you are abandoned, unwanted, and that the person you thought would care for you is at best disinterested and views you as an inconvenience. Eventually their step–mother did arrive to pick them up, some hours late. But it was barely one day later that she decided to dispose of them on the next bus back to Bogotá. She didn't want them around, and it was too much effort for her to show a little love. Ouch!

So next time I encounter an awkward young teenager such as one of these, I'll not blame the young person for their emotional and relational dysfunction.

And next time I find myself stuck on a journey, I will remind myself that on the scale of important things in life, waiting for a bus is no big deal.

1 Comments:

Blogger Matt said...

great post! and great too to discover your blog. I will load the rss into my newsfeed reader forthwith. peace.

12:20 pm  

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