CHILE!

Front and centre on the world stage this week is not the mediocre Commonwealth Games, not the bickering between China & Japan, not what Obama is up to, and certainly not who goes on in Hong Kong with our embattled 'government' .... but Chile ... and how she rallied to save 33 miners who spent 59 days at more than 600+ meters below ground. The resolve of the nation, and her solidarity is most impressive. As a BBC commentator said, 'This is reality TV, Chile will not be the same moving forward'. History is made and heroism is recognized, on screen, for the entire world to see.

I was glued to the TV in the evenings as the drama unfolded from despair, when the miners was lost in space for 17 days; to hope when the hand-written note saying 'all 33 of us are here, and we are safe' was retrieved; to cautious optimism as no one can be certain the rescue plans would actually work; to renewed hope when the operation began to show results; and lastly to nationwide euphoria in the past 48 hours when the plan became a smashing success.

Each of the 33 miners has a different story that captivated both BCC & CNN. Central to their stories is 'the family', and the most heart warming messages on how they, and their family members, weathered this huge crisis. My sister Lilian, a devout Tibetan Buddhist, gave me the 'Tibetan Book on Living & Dying' written by the Sogyal Rinpoche which I brought with me to Bangkok. The chapter on how one changes one's outlook if one understands dying, or if one has a close call with death, is never more relevant here. We are human beings and at bottom what really matters is not our work, our wealth, our business but our families. One cannot find a better illustration on how the family impacts each and every survivor. The picture shows the 30th rescued miner greeted by the President of Chile who, rightfully, is at the end of the receiving line that started with next of kin, rescuers, fellow miners etc etc

I like to document 2 quotes, my favorites. From a miner whose daughter was born in transition .... 'I shall name her Esperanza ...' ie Hope in Spanish. An even better one, from another survivor .... 'God & Devil were both underneath with us, they fought, and God won'. Between these quotes how can one not be inspired?