His Holiness the Pope John Paul II, had been the only person who mistook me to be from Ireland instead of from Iran, when I introduced myself. Years later when I did a workshop in a monastery in Sligo in the Republic of Ireland I happened to share this story with the monks there. I also happened to share that my son's ancestors are from Sligo in Ireland. Upon hearing this, the chief monk gazed at me insightfully as if looking at the infinite mysteries of the inner realm. He told me that the Pope is a very insightful man. Perhaps he could see something in the distant future that I could only take as a mistake then due to my limited understanding. I really enjoyed the monk's twist on my take of the story. In other words time changes everything, even the stories we take as the most absurd mistakes could become the most profound truths.
Pupak and her Peace Studies Group in Vatican, 1989.
Pupak and her Peace Studies Group in Vatican, 1989.