A Welcome; and a Disclaimer

**The name for this blog might sound pretentious, but that really isn't my intention. Rather, the inspiration for the title came from my realization that, although far from perfect, I strive always to be a better person and to influence those around me in positive ways. While I may not be as influential as Mother Theresa or Gandhi, I do believe that my actions have a ripple effect on the people, things, and environment surrounding me. Please join me as I process this exciting journey!

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Laughter

I am presently in what feels like a no-man's land as I muddle through the red-tape and bureaucracy of my application for temporary residency in a country which is different from that of my birth.

I am amazed as I consider how lines that have been drawn on paper representations of the Earth have come to be recognized as borders -- national, political and religious -- and how, for each citizen of this planet, one is considered to be either "in" or "out," depending on what is written in other paper and electronic documents (passports, visas, travel itineraries, etc.) which track one's movement within and without those lines.

It is simply astonishing.

It is also a downright tiresome experience. I am certain that many of you who read this can relate to some degree; for anyone who has had to move or work abroad, either by choice or force, you know how exhaustive is the experience and how vulnerable it can make one feel.

Just this morning I made my way to Immigration for the umpteenth time, with all required documents in hand, all smiles in hopeful anticipation of finally having obtained all the necessary components for submission of my application for a temporary residency in a particular country in Latin America. On each prior trip to Immigration with the same intent, I was informed that my ever-growing folder of documents did not meet all requirements and, therefore, would not be accepted. Each time a different official informed me that I must make changes a, b and c and THEN resubmit my application -- only each time we received instructions, from Immigration Officials themselves, the nominal rules of the game were changed.

Today was no different.

I must admit that I've shed not a few tears throughout this whole ordeal -- tears of impotence, of frustration, of having entered an unjust system and being utterly at the mercy of immigration officials who, through all their explanations of contradictory "requirements" and procedures, are equally disinterested in any given person's situation or in improving the immigration process.

Really, at the state it's in from what I can see, it would be difficult NOT to improve.

The most frustrating of all is that nobody is willing to give you a list of all these "requirements of Immigration" -- not in writing, not a photocopy, not a link for the internet, not even written down for one to look at. They have the "old requirements," of course; but those only worked for the old system, apparently.

And so today, upon leaving Immigration yet again, without having been permitted to submit my application for temporary residency, yet again, instead of crying, I laughed. I laughed! This whole process has become somewhat comical; either that, or I've begun to lose my mind. And I realized that, really, all I can do is be patient. Keep moving forward. Ask questions. Be kind, yet persistent.

And laugh. I think perhaps it really is the best medicine.

Cracks and Light

Hello unknown audience! Welcome!

I have yet to decide exactly how much personal information to reveal, and yet at the heart of my writing is a desire to be utterly honest and transparent. For now I am content to let the blog take shape on its own as I write and share from experience and reflect upon what strikes me as significant or worthy of note.

I wish to state from the beginning that:
  • I believe that each person is in a continual process of growth and change.
  • In my experience, it seems that each individual does the best they can with what they have in any given moment.
  • I have found that to ruminate upon one's thoughts, conversations and experiences is to understand oneself better -- and, if one is willing, to become the wiser for it.

It is my hope that, in sharing these ponderings with the larger community, some light may get in through the cracks that we all feel now and again in our lives.