Away from the shopping frenzy
I couldn’t go to the mall The crowded shops terrorise me Instead, I walk into the solace of nature And in the roar of silent snow, Surrounded by total whiteness I catch my breath and calm my mind And I know that I love you I will wrap this certitude in Christmas paper
You’re not in prison when you’re on stage
“The mission of the theatre, after all, is to change, to raise the consciousness of people to their human possibilities.” Arthur Miller Last Saturday, I had the rare privilege of watching a theatre play inside a prison, Hindelbank, close to Bern. During an hour, a packed audience saw seven incarcerated women on stage offer fireworks…
The ‘Art’ of Conferences
For Greta, the noblest one Warning: Politically incorrect, satirical text. Often, when invited to speak at a conference or join a panel, I’ve had the impression that the organizers wanted to add something feminine, preferably nice-looking, in the same way, that you’d add a flower arrangement on a set table, a final touch. A recent incident…
Their Lives
I never thought the pain would be physical Like a hole next to my heart Or is it here, close to the gut? ¿En las entrañas? (I never cared much for anatomy) So many years busy being parents Groceries to buy, forms to fill, meals to cook So much running around We were getting good…
A Marriage blessed by the People
The Swiss people will vote on same-sex marriage this coming September 26th, this is what is at stake.
Cuando tu apellido es Escobar
Me volvió a suceder ayer. Me habían invitado a dar una conferencia sobre gestión de impactos en una escuela de negocios de Ginebra (Suiza), donde vivo. Tras la sesión, uno de los estudiantes se acercó a mí y, con una sonrisa pícara, me preguntó si era pariente de Pablo Escobar. “Vuelve y juega”, pensé. En…
When your name is Escobar
It happened again yesterday. I had been invited to give a lecture on Impact Management at a business school in Geneva, Switzerland, where I live. After the session, one of the students approached me and, with a roguish smile, asked me if I was related to Pablo Escobar. “Here we go again,” I thought. In…
The Accidental Advocate
Note: This essay was first published in Keeping It Under Wraps, an Anthology edited by Louise Bryant, Tracy Hope and Alnaaze Nathoo (2021) For Camille Another massage session with Li Hua is over. I feel relaxed, oxygenated, content. I’ve been coming here for years now. Pear blossom is the meaning of her name. This fine, middle-aged woman…
In Nature, Everything is Connected
Confessions of a voyeuse I bike away from cars, buildings, cement Into nature I crave the connection, the experience of the spiritual I sit, camouflaged, surrounded only by trees, birds and minuscule species Ready to tune in to the energetic, the primal current, the breathing earth No human voice, just the distant sound of water,…
Un círculo
No se conocen. Están sentadas alrededor de una mesa sobre la cual hay quesos, pan, aceitunas y atún para untar. Nadie toca la comida. La luz es cálida, no hay música; sería una distracción. Once mujeres de diferentes edades, colores, tamaños, orígenes, ocupaciones, caracteres. Tienen una cosa en común. Todas han sido víctimas de acoso…
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Using words to make sense of experiences 