What can be more beautiful than freedom?  What can be more exciting than freedom?   – That feeling you get when you feel like you can fly – that nothing can harm you – that you are one with the universe – that you are in total alignment with who you are.  Total joy and ease – you are so free that all your past worries and burdens disappear.

I just finished visiting the Tucson Gem and Mineral shows and bought, among other things, a Tibetan rug, lapis prayer beads and old carnelian stones – all from Tibetan vendors.  Our conversations developed into to the situation of an independent Tibet.

After the gem shows, I went to the local library bookstore and picked up a book to read while I would be waiting at the airport for two hours after dropping off my sister who was visiting for the week and waiting for my husband’s flight back from Denver.  The book, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See, is a book about a Chinese woman’s life.  Early in the book she speaks about her experience in having her feet bound.

It struck me that taking over Tibet – a country that has documented existence on maps from as early as the 1500’s is similar in situation to the act of foot binding – the taking over of a young girls freedom to run, play and dance.  Tibet is and was an innocent country that threatened none of it neighbors – protected its wildlife and environment and did not harm its own people.  A young girl of three to seven years of age (foot binding age) was equally innocent.  Foot binding was done for selfish family reasons – to have the girl be desirable.  – A girl was considered a worthless human except for what she could get for the family in a marriage contract – “lily feet” was the most valuable.  Is not taking over another country equally selfish and for personal (national) gain?

It is believed that foot binding no longer takes place in China.  The Chinese have become aware that this practice does not respect the human rights of girls (one in ten girls died in this practice).  It is my vision that there will come a time where the taking over of a country, such as Tibet (and this applies to any country in actuality) will no longer happen.  None of us can really own the land anyway – it is ours only for the keeping to tend to it and honor it for all generations to come.  Borders and fences are only man-made – made from an ignorance that in today’s world has yet to mature to the realization that we are all one and it is old “foot binding” thinking to think that in taking over another country or it’s land will make us stronger and more powerful. There is abundance in the Universe – look what happens when you cut open a watermelon – there are hundreds of seeds – enough for everyone!