Final Recognition and Reassurance

A few months after I'd left Indonesia, I returned to visit loved ones and to celebrate the Christmas and New Year's holiday. My flight landed in Bali only two hours after Southeast Asia was struck by a tsunami of staggering destruction. Acquaintances all over the world con-tacted me immediately, concerned about the safety of my Indonesian friends. People seemed particularly consumed with this worry: "Are Wayan and Tutti OK?" The answer is that the tsunami did not impact Bali in any way whatsoever (aside from emotionally, of course) and I found everybody safe and sound. Felipe was waiting for me at the airport (the first of many times we would be meeting each other at various airports). Ketut Liyer was sitting on his porch, same as ever, making medicine and meditations. Yudhi had recently taken work play-ing guitar in some fancy local resort and was doing well. And Wayan's family was living hap-pily in their beautiful new house, far away from the dangerous coastline, sheltered high in the rice terraces of Ubud. With all the gratitude I can summon (and on Wayan's behalf), I would now like to thank everyone who contributed money to build that home:

Sakshi Andreozzi, Savitri Axelrod, Linda and Renee Barrera, Lisa Boone, Susan Bowen, Gary Brenner, Monica Burke and Karen Kudej, Sandie Carpenter, David Cashion, Anne Con-nell (who also, along with Jana Eisenberg, is a master of last-minute rescues), Mike and Mimi de Gruy, Armenia de Oliveira, Rayya Elias and Gigi Madl, Susan Freddie, Devin Friedman, Dwight Garner and Cree LeFavour, John and Carole Gilbert, Mamie Healey, Annie Hubbard and the almost-unbelievable Harvey Schwartz, Bob Hughes, Susan Kittenplan, Michael and Jill Knight, Brian and Linda Knopp, Deborah Lopez, Deborah Luepnitz, Craig Marks and Rene Steinke, Adam McKay and Shira Piven, Jonny and Cat Miles, Sheryl Moller, John Morse and Ross Petersen, James and Catherine Murdock (with Nick and Mimi's blessings), José Nunes, Anne Pagliarulo, Charley Patton, Laura Platter, Peter Richmond, Toby and Beverly Robinson, Nina Bernstein Simmons, Stefania Somare, Natalie Standiford, Stacey Steers, Darcey Steinke, The Thoreson Girls (Nancy, Laura and Miss Rebecca), Daphne Uviller, Richard Vo-gt, Peter and Jean Warrington, Kristen Weiner, Scott Westerfeld and Justine Larbalestier, Bill Yee and Karen Zimet.

Lastly, and on a different topic, I wish I could find a way to properly acknowledge my cher-ished Uncle Terry and my Aunt Deborah for all the help they gave me during this year of travel. To call it mere "technical support" is to diminish the importance of their contribution. Together they wove a net beneath my tightrope without which—quite simply—I would not have been able to write this book. I don't know how to repay them. In the end, though, maybe we must all give up trying to pay back the people in this world who sustain our lives. In the end, maybe it's wiser to surrender before the miraculous scope of human generosity and to just keep saying thank you, forever and sincerely, for as long as we have voices.

最后的感谢与确信

在我离开印尼几个月后，我再度返回，来探访亲爱的朋友们，并庆祝圣诞与新年假期。东南亚惨遭海啸侵袭才过两个钟头，我的班机已在巴厘岛降落。全球各地的朋友们立即与我联络，关心我的印尼朋友们是否安然无恙。大家似乎尤其担心的是："大姐和图蒂还好吗？"答案是，海啸并未冲击巴厘岛（情感上除外，当然），我看见大伙儿平安无事。斐利贝在机场等候我（未来许多次，我们将在各大机场相会，而这是第一次）。老四赖爷坐在他的阳台上，一如往常，调制医药与禅修。尤弟最近在当地某大度假村接了弹奏吉他的工作，干得不错。大姐一家人在她们漂亮的新屋里过着快乐的生活，房子远离危险的海岸线，高高坐落于乌布的梯田间。带着最大的感激（也谨代表大姐），我要谢谢捐款建屋的每一个人：

SakshiAndreozzi、SavitriAxelrod、Linda & ReneeBarrera、LisaBoone、SusanBowen、GaryBrenner、MonicaBurke & KarenKudej、SandieCarpenter、DavidCashion、AnneConne（她，连同JanaEisenberg，还很擅长于最后关头的救援行动）、Mike & MimideGruy、ArmeniadeOliveira、RayyaElias & GigiMadl、SusanFreddie、DevinFriedman、DwightGarnerandCreeLeFavour、John & CaroleGilbert、MamieHealey、AnnieHubbard与几乎难以置信的HarveySchwartz、BobHughes、SusanKittenplan、Michael & JillKnight、Brian & LindaKnopp、DeborahLopez、DeborahLuepnitz、CraigMarks & ReneSteinke、AdamMcKay & ShiraPiven、Jonny & CatMiles、SherylMoller、JohnMorse & RossPetersen、James &
CaterineMurdock（连同Nick与Mimi的祝福）、JosNunes、AnnePagliarulo、CharleyPatton、LauraPlatter、PeterRichmond、Toby & BeverlyRobinson、NinaBernsteinSimmons、StefaniaSomare、NatalieStandiford、StaceySteers、DarceySteinke、Thoreson姐妹（Nancy、Laura与Rebecca小姐）、DaphneUviller、RichardVogt、Peter & JeanWarrington、KristenWeiner、ScottWesterfeld & JustineLarbalestier、BillYee & KarenZimet。

最后一提的是，我想感谢我钟爱的泰瑞伯父和黛比伯母在这一年的旅行期间帮助我的一切，仅仅说是"技术援助"，等于贬低了他们的重要贡献。他们在我走的钢丝底下编织一张网，少了这张网，我绝对写不成这本书。我不知如何报答他们。然而最后，或许我们不该尝试回报在这世上维护我们生命的人们。或许最后，更为明智的做法，是臣服于人类神奇无边的慷慨大度，只需持续道谢，永久不断、真心诚意，只要我们还有声音。