12.02.08
Dalai Lama & Vaclav Havel
DALAI LAMA IN PRAGUE
This week, His Holiness the Dalai Lama is visiting Prague, at the invitation of former president, dissident and poet Vaclav Havel.
It’s hard to imagine a greater pair than these two, and they are both personal heroes.
My close encounter with His Holiness in Atlanta came when I left a seat on the gymnasium floor seconds before he walked by, giving out hugs. I imagine that in my next incarnation I’ll get one of those hugs.
My close encounter with Mr. Havel was more premeditated: At the Karlovy Vary film festival, a friend whose Czech was better than mine said, “He’s watching that film by one of his friends right now.”
My experience as a news reporter said, Go. I entered the screening room and started looking for guards. I saw two or three suited gents standing by a door … so I went to the other side of that door. And waited.
Sure enough, the film ended and Mr. Havel came out of the semi-hidden exit, and stood right beside me.
Imagine this: I was speechless.
He stood there with a suited gent or two, and smoked a cigarette. I hovered nearby. I didn’t introduce myself or anything. How do you say: I’m not worthy!!
For the 3,000 or so folks who heard him speak at the Sparta Stadium, I can attest it will be moving.
