Nonetheless, to be considered as an organic part of both “time to listening” and “time to sharing” is “time to learning others’ self and reconstructing oneself”. In other words, I apprehend it “time to self development”. And I acknowledge that this practice together with “time to listening” is the most feasible for an individual to fulfill. Upon mindful listening, I have been shared a lot of faithful information and knowledge. However, those sharing are not at all dead facts. To really do mindful listening, I understood that listener has to listen with care and honesty. Once I can truly do so, I will feel that the story of my partner is also of mine. But how to “truly do so” is exactly what I have to reconstruct myself to overcome any of my prejudices and bias as well as to acknowledge and learn characteristics of the self of my partner (or the giver or the informant). This “time to self development” is thus both a subsequence and a prerequisite of time to listening and to sharing.
While I have above briefly expressed some reflections on my own understanding of the time learning with MPJ 2011, I would like also present my great appreciation to kindly extensive contribution of participants and RST members from the region. Without your wonderful involvement both mentally and physically, I believe that I could not be able to have a very constructive and friendly learning environment like the MPJ 2011. Besides, I think the local people who have warmly welcomed us are the other crucial contributors to the successfulness of the program; and I would deeply feel in debt to them, especially my homestay owners. I am now very happy to have great chance of seeing again some of MPJ participants in Chiang Mai, and I wish all of us will do successfully our work so that we can also have more some time and energy to work together for MPJ action plan through which we can not only serve our best for the peace building process but also have a chance of reunion very soon.
Wish you all in good health with big smile (^______^)
PEACE FOR ALL; ALL FOR PEACE
by Talong, Vietnam