A Thai Birthday
27.10.2010
Both Pam and Ashley have sent me some thoughts they would like me to post on the blog. The wonderful experiences they are having continue to move them and they hope they can convey the substance of their lives with the kids. This entry is of Ashley’s accounts over several days, including her birthday. I so wish I was there to celebrate with all our friends.
I need to say first off that Pam and Ashley have been incredible blessings in my life. Being involved with them with 3L Foundation and the kids in Thailand has been a joyous gift and it is an honor to know them both and to count them as friends. It was an honor to be there for Pam’s birthday last time around. This month, all who love Ashley got to celebrate the anniversary of her arrival in this world. I have seen her in the last year become more intimate with the calling of her heart with these children in Thailand, and it is an inspiration. The next year will continue with that in her life and I can’t wait to see the flora of realized possibilities that come from this wonderful soul. Happy Birthday, Ashley.
From Ashley,
Just one of the many things I love about the Thai culture, is their tradition when it comes to birthdays. Unlike in America, where the day is entirely about the birthday girl (or boy) and them receiving wrapped presents, cards, flowers, etc, In Thailand, birthdays are celebrated by the lucky birthday girl (in this case) showing her gratitude for her life and her abundance by giving to others. Whether it’s giving to friends, family, or complete strangers, this tradition for ”Kon Thais” (thai people) is very sacred… What you have to offer is really of little importance… The value is in the giving and honoring your gratitude for your “cheewhit” or your existence. Being that I am almost a “Kon Thai”, I wanted to celebrate this birthday of mine in a true Thai fashion.
We took all the children from the village and twelve kids from the Theperasit Slum (so 63 kids!!) to Pattaya Water Park for a day full of waterslides, swimming, sun, and of course, smiles. For most of them, it was their first time ever experiencing anything even close to this. The day could be described in so many ways, but most simply, it was just a total blast!! In between the splashing, waterslide wedgies, and cannon balls, I took a step back to soak in every little silly grin and excited giggle.
Once we were sufficiently water logged and tired, we took the kids to one of our favorite “Moogatat” Barbecue restaurants. Each child had their pick from a crazy buffet of items to grill at the table. Their eyes popped at all the choices, and as you can imagine, their plates were very full with an array of “exotic items”, some of which both Pam and I passed on trying:) With full bellies and hearts, we loaded up in the trucks and headed home.
Last night, on my actual birthday, as we gathered to take our dinner, I took another step back and realized this would be the last “special” celebration that we would be takingpart in with the children in the “old” dining sala. Over the past 14 months, I have been blessed with creating some of my most fond life memories within the walls of this dirt floor, old plywood, and corrugated metal “building”…. It was here, within this simple, rudimentary structure that I first learned to play Jenga “Thai style”; within these “walls” I learned my first full sentences in the Thai language; I ate my first pig intestines, and laughed so hard that water shot out of my nose. It was next to this sala that I watched my cousin try to dig a car tire out of almost a foot of water, helped Pam make spaghetti for 50 , and said my first “Suat Mon” (Thai prayers) . Most importantly, it was here, that I first fell in love with all these amazing little ones, and realized the true depth of my purpose in life, love, and joy…
While I can say there was a definitely a bitter-sweet feeling that came when thinking about moving on from this special space, I can say that my gratitude and dedication to “giving back” on the day of my birth felt totally realized when I looked over my shoulder to see the beautiful silhouette of our new Dining Sala, and I can’t help but look forward all the special occasions and memories to unfold within its walls……
It was nice being part of your virtual birthday…wish I had been there…Love Dad