A Note from a Young Friend

Mon Aug 7 20:24:38 PDT 2006

 Harrison and Jon,

A personal note of thanks for your notes. I recently returned from Beirut (less than two weeks before the conflict). When I read your emails tonight, I had just completed one of my own to one of my Lebanese colleagues, and was feeling quite helpless. In fact, I have felt quite helpless over the past few weeks as I communicate with my Lebanese colleagues and friends by phone and email.

Jon, your words regarding demonstrating "huge respect" and the power of just "connecting" brought such comfort at this moment. It makes me think that what I offer my Lebanese friends just might have some real value after all. And while it does not involve a typical open space and large circles - I hope that as I try to exhalt THEM, and connect with passion, "maybe human love can be seen at its highest" - even if just for a fleeting moment.

Harrison, I now feel less helpless. And I know you are right, the fever has to run its course - it is sometimes just so hard when it hits so close.

Many thanks,

Argene

Carswell and Associates
1235 Jefferson Davis Highway
Suite 1600, #141
Arlington, VA 22202

-----Original Message-----
From: hhowen at adelphia.net
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Sent: Mon, 7 Aug 2006 11:57 AM
Subject: Re: A Note from a Young Friend

Jon -- thanks for the note. I presume you also meant this for OSLIST, so I will send onwards.

ho

Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Dr.
Potomac, MD  20854
USA
301-365-2093
207-763-3261 (summer)
website www.openspaceworld.com
Personal Website www.ho-image.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Jon Harvey 
To: Harrison Owen 
Sent: Monday, August 07, 2006 10:57 AM
Subject: RE: A Note from a Young Friend

Thank you for sharing that with us, Harrison.

It has never been more important than now to create the spaces for people to
come together, and through dialogue, be reminded that we are all human and
what joins us is so much much more than what divides us. Like Dania I
sometimes despair and hear with disbelief the vacuuous statements by our so
called leaders. But then I get back in my saddle - believing that if I can
help just two people to really hear and listen to each other - and
rediscover their common humanity - then it is still worth carrying on.

So - here's to large circles and deep listening, wide openness and huge
respect! Defragging the world may take time - but we can get there!

"Only connect! That was the whole of her sermon. Only connect the prose and
the passion, and both will be exalted, and human love will be seen at its
highest. Live in fragments no longer" (E M Forster)

Jon Harvey
Oxford, UK

-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]On Behalf Of Harrison
Owen
Sent: 07 August 2006 15:28
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: A Note from a Young Friend

Some of you may remember that during the Congress of Rabbis and Imans I met
a wounderful young lady from Indonesia. I heard from her again today and
thought our exchange might have some relevance for OSLIST.

Dania wrote:

Dear Mr. Owen,
How are you? I'm Dania from Indonesia. I was a participant of the world
congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace in Seville, Spain, as a student of
Children of Abraham. I met you there. I hope you're still remember me
Mr. Owen, I'm very concerned about the war between Hezbollah and Israel in
Lebanon.. I read the news about it everywhere. Yesterday,  I found a
newspaper on my boss' desk. I stole it (hihihihi) while she was having lunch
and read the news about Hezbollah and Israel. People died in Lebanon, most
of them are children and old people. They bombed houses, buildings.. oh my
God, I couldn't stand read it. I saw the news on the TV, too. They showed
the picture of the victims in lebanon, the children, the amunitions, people
suffered...
On my way back home from the office, I turned my radio on and heard the news
about Hezbollah and Israel (again and again and again!).after the news, they
played one of my favourite songs, Imagine, sang by 2 singers, an arabic man
and a french woman. they sang the song in 3 languages: arabic, french, and
english. it was beautiful. i've heard this song many times, but when I heard
it yesterday, I cried.. I was very upset about this war and all. whjat is
wrong with this world?? why do they do that? what for? Can't they stop the
war, make peace, and live happily together? what's wrong with peace? why do
they reject peace? what do they want now? when is it going to be over?
Can we do something to stop the war, Mr. Owen? Me, you, and the Imams and
Rabbis who attended the congress in Seville? Can we take action? What can we
do to stop the war? what can we do to make them realize that war won't do
any good?
I can't find any answer for these questions.. I feel hopeless.
 Dania

I replied:
Of course I remember you! And with great affection!! As for Hezbollah and
Isreal. . . I am afraid that this may be one of those times in Human history
when all the things we should done and did not, along with all the things we
should not have done and did -- now come due. It is rather like the
situation when we do not take care of our health and suddenly we find that
we have a bad infection and a fever. That fever will now run it's course.
Sooner or later it will break but whether that break occurs before major
damage has been done, or after, remains to be seen. Being a Human Being is a
constant learning process, and sometimes that learning can be very painful.
But the greatest tragedy would be not to learn. So for my self, I feel
neither helpless nor hopeless. To be sure I do not have the power to
separate Israel and Hezbollah, nor do I think that those who may think they
have the power (Presidents, Kings, Imams, Rabbis, etc) could do any better.
And even if they were to be successful in Lebanon -- the underlying causes
would remain, and the fever would break out again. So what to do? Speaking
only for my self, I intend to keep opening space so that wonderful people
such as you can experience that "playground" (as you called it) in which
real people with real differences can meet each other with respect. And if
you are looking for something to do right now -- you could try the same
thing.

God Luck! And thank you for remembering me!!

Harrison

Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Dr.
Potomac, MD  20854
USA
301-365-2093
207-763-3261 (summer)
website www.openspaceworld.com
Personal Website www.ho-image.com

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