August 5, 2008
Around the city are floral arrangements of Olympic stuff. In Tian'anmen Square was a big "One World, One Dream" display with the Bird's Nest, and athlete figures.
I thought of mom everytime I saw an irresistable Chinese baby. This one's for her... the photo, not the baby.
This one too!
Multiple ladies walk around with damp cloths on their heads to combat the heat. This woman looked especially great.
The Mao Memorial. Inside is where he was buried.
The people's monument or Monument for the People.
On the other side of the square from the "One World, One Dream" display was another display with what looked like tourist sites around the world. There was something that looked like the Golden Gate Bridge and the St. Louis Arch, with a little Chinese flair like in this photo.
In the middle of the square was a big display of the "Dancing Beijing" emblem with flowers and fountains and lights for night. I learned that this figure resembles a runner/dancer and the Chinese character for "Jing" (means capital) which is short for Beijing. And the weight of the figure is forward, so it symbolizes that Beijing is moving forward.
Today the reality set in that I was not going to be able to go to the Opening Ceremonies and be there in the Bird's Nest. I found out yesterday that my ticket was fake and the whole company was a scam. I did all I could to find another ticket, but the cheapest one I found was $21,000. And it just wasn't worth that for me. I had many hard minutes today of disappointment and worry. My biggist worry was the validity of my research. I felt that the biggest part of the foundation of my research was eye-witnessing the opening ceremonies... that is the reason I came to Beijing. As I watched the base of my research dissolve before my eyes, I cried.
But... as with everything in life, there is always good news. I looked hard to see it in this situation and it took a little time, but this is what I found. I found a deeper trust in my Heavenly Father because He knew this would happen and He knows how much this research means to me and He cares deeply about me and my life. He gently reminded me to trust Him; to trust that He has prepared a way for me to complete this research I am here to do in Beijing. I felt like Nephi when he went in to get the plates not knowing beforehand the plan of action. I too had to get the plates (research in China) and when my first plan didn't work, I gathered confidence choosing to rely on the spirit and Heavenly Father for guidance each moment as Nephi did.
I was processing all of this through tears sitting on the curb in Tianan'men Square and in that moment I knew that this was the point of miracles. If I chose to move forward in trust, I knew that I would witness miracles unfold before my eyes during my time in Beijing. And looking back on my time in China, I did. The more I share this experience, the more clearly I see the spontaneous miracles that occured daily.
I experienced the difficulty of being an independent researcher. I came home one day and exclaimed that to Curtis. He just nodded and smiled... (I ain't seen nothin' yet). What I found difficult was the ability to be prepared and ready at any moment to gather information and conduct research. I quickly learned that I could not wait for the ideal situation to conveniently learn at a luxurious pace because I did not have days to spend with that one person or at that one museum and my video camera didn't always work. So I learned to be present in the moment to glean what I could and be satisfied with what I learned.
I also learned how to tap into the memory storage of my body, it was sometimes the only memory device I had working in some moments. One of my favorite things I did was absorb China into the cells of my body and bask in the experience of being there. When my technology tools didn't work I learned to listen more intently, see clearly, make connections, ask the questions that were in my mind, reach out to meet people, and be present to experience the moment. As a result of living in the moment, I am satisfied with my experience in China, and I learned to trust that the memory of my experience will be there when I need to recall it even if it wasn't on camera.
Today I went to see Tianan'men Square and the Mao Memorial.
But... as with everything in life, there is always good news. I looked hard to see it in this situation and it took a little time, but this is what I found. I found a deeper trust in my Heavenly Father because He knew this would happen and He knows how much this research means to me and He cares deeply about me and my life. He gently reminded me to trust Him; to trust that He has prepared a way for me to complete this research I am here to do in Beijing. I felt like Nephi when he went in to get the plates not knowing beforehand the plan of action. I too had to get the plates (research in China) and when my first plan didn't work, I gathered confidence choosing to rely on the spirit and Heavenly Father for guidance each moment as Nephi did.
I was processing all of this through tears sitting on the curb in Tianan'men Square and in that moment I knew that this was the point of miracles. If I chose to move forward in trust, I knew that I would witness miracles unfold before my eyes during my time in Beijing. And looking back on my time in China, I did. The more I share this experience, the more clearly I see the spontaneous miracles that occured daily.
I experienced the difficulty of being an independent researcher. I came home one day and exclaimed that to Curtis. He just nodded and smiled... (I ain't seen nothin' yet). What I found difficult was the ability to be prepared and ready at any moment to gather information and conduct research. I quickly learned that I could not wait for the ideal situation to conveniently learn at a luxurious pace because I did not have days to spend with that one person or at that one museum and my video camera didn't always work. So I learned to be present in the moment to glean what I could and be satisfied with what I learned.
I also learned how to tap into the memory storage of my body, it was sometimes the only memory device I had working in some moments. One of my favorite things I did was absorb China into the cells of my body and bask in the experience of being there. When my technology tools didn't work I learned to listen more intently, see clearly, make connections, ask the questions that were in my mind, reach out to meet people, and be present to experience the moment. As a result of living in the moment, I am satisfied with my experience in China, and I learned to trust that the memory of my experience will be there when I need to recall it even if it wasn't on camera.
Today I went to see Tianan'men Square and the Mao Memorial.
Around the city are floral arrangements of Olympic stuff. In Tian'anmen Square was a big "One World, One Dream" display with the Bird's Nest, and athlete figures.
I thought of mom everytime I saw an irresistable Chinese baby. This one's for her... the photo, not the baby.
This one too!
Multiple ladies walk around with damp cloths on their heads to combat the heat. This woman looked especially great.
The Mao Memorial. Inside is where he was buried.
The people's monument or Monument for the People.
On the other side of the square from the "One World, One Dream" display was another display with what looked like tourist sites around the world. There was something that looked like the Golden Gate Bridge and the St. Louis Arch, with a little Chinese flair like in this photo.
In the middle of the square was a big display of the "Dancing Beijing" emblem with flowers and fountains and lights for night. I learned that this figure resembles a runner/dancer and the Chinese character for "Jing" (means capital) which is short for Beijing. And the weight of the figure is forward, so it symbolizes that Beijing is moving forward.
This woman was so excited to hug me and take a photo with me. And I love the "One World" in the back. It was a joyous experience for me to connect with these people.
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