The Pendulum of Time
Michael and Judith Basch
Just last week, I had the very great pleasure of meeting Michael and Judith Basch once again. And, they told of their trip to Mongolia. And, there was very much to see and admire.
There were the vast empty plains that went to horizons, there was the flora with its strength to survive the hardest of winters, there were the rivers that flowed from the mountains, and there was the uniqueness of its wonderful people as well. They understood fully the balance of nature in connection with everyday life. But, this beauty had its dark sides as well.
There were the post-communist ruins of industrial plants, the huge blocks of flats that should never have been, and, and this was the saddest of all, the many ruins of fine Buddhist temples. Communism had had no time for religion. But, then came the surprise!
And, the surprise was in the middle of nowhere and all alone on a plain. It was a beautiful Buddhist temple that miraculously had not been destroyed. And, being open, Michael and Judith Basch entered in. And, there in front of their eyes was the pendulum of time! A grandmother, her daughter, and her daughter's daughter. Three generations. And, what they were doing was not only telling, but moving as well.
The grandmother was carefully wrapping sacred books in fine silk, and, whilst doing so, gently patting each one and saying a prayer. Her daughter was very clearly nervous and wanted to leave. She was still feeling the terribleoppression of times that had gone. But, the granddaughter was doing exactly the same as her grandmother. Gently patting each book and saying a prayer. It was as if communism had never existed. She was living the magic of belief. The pendulum had swung back again.
It was Spring when Michael and Judith Basch visited Mongolia. And, it wasn't only the flowers that were coming out again, the Mongolian soul was blossoming, too. And, that was a wonderful thing.
Vocabulary
blossoming – blühen
empty – leer
in connection – in Zusammenhang
oppression – niederdrücken
patting – tätscheln
pendulum - Pendel
plain - Ebene
plant – Anlagen
present – anwesend
survive – überleben
telling - wegweisend
terrible - furchtbar
uniqueness - einzigartig
vast – enor
