how the impossible became possible

Every couple of months I take a ride into the big city some 50 minutes from the village I live in. I love the drive. It is always so interesting and picturesque for me to see how the Balinese live in nature and all the changes constantly going on. I often think that if people only knew how beautiful it was here, it would be a huge tourist attraction. But the one major problem is all of the rubbish that they just throw in the streams and waterways. I pass about four or five of them along the way, and try to imagine how quaint and beautiful it would be without all the plastic and rubbish strewn on the banks and in the water. I wondered how all of the European countries manage to keep their canals and streams and channels so clean and attractive, and just here it is so impossible. I would always think that until they find a way to clean up these garbage dumps there is no chance that westerners are going to want to spend time here. But how can a country make a super effort and collect all of that rubbish?

I had tried doing my part in it while I was living at a resort on the sea. The tide would bring in the rubbish each day and the shore was less than appealing. So I decided to collect the garbage each morning in a big sack, and hopefully the villagers would realize that throwing the plastic on the ground as if it was a banana leaf wrapping and not a plastic bag, was not a good idea. I would also be doing my little part to help clear up some of the rubbish. But often, even while I stood at the sea or by the dry river bank, collecting all the garbage, the villagers would be emptying their rubbish there. My main goal was to get the place cleaned up before the monsoons started so that it wouldn't all get pushed out to the sea. The villagers looked at me as if I was crazy as I collected the rubbish. I didn't know why.

Eventually I left the resort, and the garbage collecting, and did not see if there was any long term improvement there. But as I rode on the motorbike to the city yesterday, enjoying the magnificent nature as usual, I was shocked as I passed the first river and saw that it was perfectly clean! Then as we passed the second one, and it too was spotless, I commented to my friend who was driving, that I can't believe that the rivers are finally clean. I am so impressed by the government that they worked so so hard and there is no longer any rubbish!  As we passed the third and fourth waterways that were also so beautiful now and clean, I was thrilled. Finally the impossible was possible. How the government found the money and manpower to clean it all up and so quickly! Again I commented to my friend how I just cannot believe that there is no more rubbish and how wonderful it is. I am so excited. Finally bali can become the picture postcard it really is. My heart was filled with happiness that something that seemed so involved and overwhelming, had been solved. It gave me new hope. Things can change!

And then, I heard a little voice within me chuckle. I wondered what was so funny. The answer was; "now you know why the villagers were looking at you like your are crazy when you were collecting the rubbish before the monsoon started….they know that within the bigger picture of life, all that rubbish just disappears into the strong flowing monsoon waters and everything appears spotless again "  Oh no….i realized that all that rubbish that was impossible to clear up, was not collected by the government in a super effort to clean up bali. The impossible was possible because now that the monsoon season began, It has all "vanished"….into the sea….