I am several weeks back from my trip to southeast Asia. Yet, there is a scene that is permanently inked in my mind. I feel stronger every time I think of it, so I thought it was worth sharing.
One morning in Cambodia, I was walking on a long sandstone path up to an expansive ancient temple that rose from the jungle floor through the towering trees. A scattering of tourist walked back and forth from the Ruins strutting to the classical sounds of music coming from a nearby quartet. As I reached the musicians, I stopped, struck by the scene.
The calming composition of a classical piece was coming from men with primitive self-made instruments. Their faces radiated joy as each appeared lost in the zone of the rhythm. The juxtapose that made this moment so memorable was that each of the men were amputees. All had lost at least one limb and two were visibly blind. Most likely a result of the landmines that were once planted throughout the country.
This is one of those stories that helps put life into perspective, and it left me with the impermeable impression of the resilience of the human spirit. What a gift these men are giving to all that pass by.