The way there was long! It took more than 28 hours in all, one sleepless night on the plane, two connections and hundreds of curves on winding roads until I reached my parents’ home. All the effort was worth it! The sound of the waterfall, the cozy house and the my parents’s warmth reminded me that I was returning to a familiar place. Being there allowed me to recuperate and prepare for the marathon of talks scheduled for the following week.
The first days consisted mostly of spending time with a sister and her husband, nephews, uncles and cousins. There is always that initial strangeness when re-connecting with others we have not seen for so long. At first we are reminded that we live in parallel realities of different customs, values and habits. However, there are also memories of joint experiences that show how we are deeply related despite distance and time. Visiting family and old friends often brings a mix of nostalgia, awkwardness, joy and anxiety.
Beyond connecting with family I hoped to witness examples in Brazil that gave me hope. It is very easy to see and focus on what is wrong and what needs to be changed. But I wanted to find reasons to be grateful and proud of our country. I was looking for points of light even in a sea of darkness.
Luckily, this trip did not disappoint. First I was impressed with my meals. Every lunch and dinner was a mixture of local fruits and vegetables and home made products. In an increasingly globalized world, nothing is more precious than local taste. Not only is it healthier as it promotes a greater connection with the land, and what a land!
I had forgotten the beautiful hills of these Minas Gerais. In the car trip, in the sites and even in the cities, you can see spacious pastures, closed forest and spectacular landscapes. The highlight was to contemplate the powerful waterfall of the Bom Será, a paradise found in the middle of a valley surrounded by closed forest. Sitting on its edge, listening to its noise and feeling the steady moist breeze from its waters was a spiritual experience – a multi-sensory reflection of the Creator’s beauty.
Finally, I was impressed with the existing social capital in Caratinga. In a world marked by isolation and loneliness, it is refreshing to visit a place where people talk to each other on the street without ceremony. A place of deep, intertwined relationships for generations. Seeing that was a lesson in humanity and spiritual wealth.
I came to talk about how technology is transforming the world but ended up getting a lesson on how human warmth builds community. While technologies like AI have much to offer to a place like Caratinga, it should not come at the cost of what they have already built there. My prayer is that my visit sparked conversations that can help further strengthen the existing social capital already there.
Later this week, I’ll be publishing a more detailed summary of my time and talks there. For now, I leave you with this picture that only offers a glimpse of the natural beauty of Minas.
