I Am the Sky
Traveling has always acted as a catalyst for teaching me about the world, Bali on the other hand, taught me about myself. One of the many lessons I encountered while in Bali occurred in the most unexpected way.
While in Lovina, my team and I were tasked with a research assignment where we had to go out into the city and interview locals about poverty and economic empowerment. Lisa and Melli, the two Undiksha students in my group, decided to take the lead since they were familiar with the area. This was when we stumbled upon Ngura, a friendly old man who was the owner of a small local market. Ngura, with a beer in his hand and a charm in his eyes, generously began to answer all our questions.
A conversation that started off centered on the effects of tourism on the community ended up being one of the most enlightening and memorable conversations I had on this trip. With tears in my eyes I listened as Ngura shared many of his life’s hardships, such as his wife passing away and him becoming a cancer survivor. Ngura, explained that bad luck is the way to enlightenment and that gratitude is the key to overcoming all of life’s challenges.
Every day you will find Ngura meditating at the beach with a beer in hand. He says it brings him much stillness when he visualizes himself as the sky. “I like to be the sky and not the shadow.
This allows me to observe people and life without judgement…bad or good it is all the same to me. Some people think I’m crazy, but what I am, is happy!”
“Reframing”, was a term frequently used in and out of the classroom throughout this trip. It is about taking a concept and changing the verbiage in a way that allows for a more accurate representation which leads to new possibilities. When you reframe the term “bad luck” and replace it with “lesson”, suddenly your perspective shifts and the path to enlightenment is revealed. By seeing the bad lessons in our lives as a gift that is “for us”, instead of “to us”, we take on the role of becoming students of life.
During one of our site visits to the Kim Foundation there was a sign that said, “Everybody is a teacher. Every place is a school. Every moment is a lesson”. If I reframe the chaotic beautiful messiness of life as an opportunity to learn, then I allow the possibility for gratitude to be at the forefront of my journey. As the sky, I can choose to see every moment as an opportunity to expand and grow and in my opinion, that is what life is all about.
I will keep Nguras words of wisdom in my heart as a reminder that there is beauty in all aspects of life. I will choose to be the sky and not the shadow throughout this journey we call life. By doing this for myself I will be at peace and with that peace I can be of service to the world because it all starts with me.
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