this is the one of the first pictures I’ve ever taken to the Dalai Lama this
I’ve ever taken to the Dalai Lama this
I’ve ever taken to the Dalai Lama this was back in 1988 and this is before he
was back in 1988 and this is before he
was back in 1988 and this is before he won the Nobel Peace Prize so nobody
won the Nobel Peace Prize so nobody
won the Nobel Peace Prize so nobody really knew who the Dalai Lama was back
really knew who the Dalai Lama was back
really knew who the Dalai Lama was back then and this is at his home and it was
then and this is at his home and it was
then and this is at his home and it was his secretary that heard about the work
his secretary that heard about the work
his secretary that heard about the work that I was doing going from all these
that I was doing going from all these
that I was doing going from all these Tibetan settlements back before people
Tibetan settlements back before people
Tibetan settlements back before people are really doing this I probably had
are really doing this I probably had
are really doing this I probably had more coverage of Tibet Tibetans in exile
more coverage of Tibet Tibetans in exile
more coverage of Tibet Tibetans in exile than anybody but his secretary said the
than anybody but his secretary said the
than anybody but his secretary said the Dalai Lama wants to meet you and I was
Dalai Lama wants to meet you and I was
Dalai Lama wants to meet you and I was like oh how great may well get a
like oh how great may well get a
like oh how great may well get a blessing from him and I go there to his
blessing from him and I go there to his
blessing from him and I go there to his home and we had this amazing day
home and we had this amazing day
home and we had this amazing day together he gave me a Tibetan name he
together he gave me a Tibetan name he
together he gave me a Tibetan name he gave me an ultimate in coin he really
gave me an ultimate in coin he really
gave me an ultimate in coin he really spent time with me and was very
spent time with me and was very
spent time with me and was very interested and concerned what was
interested and concerned what was
interested and concerned what was happening with his people and especially
happening with his people and especially
happening with his people and especially the young people you know they’re in
the young people you know they’re in
the young people you know they’re in between a rock and a hard place there’s
between a rock and a hard place there’s
between a rock and a hard place there’s Tibetans being born in exile like what
Tibetans being born in exile like what
Tibetans being born in exile like what we’re you know they don’t want to do
we’re you know they don’t want to do
we’re you know they don’t want to do agricultural work like their parents you
agricultural work like their parents you
agricultural work like their parents you know what were they going to do and so
know what were they going to do and so
know what were they going to do and so we had a lot of really great you know
we had a lot of really great you know
we had a lot of really great you know questions and dialogue and I had just
questions and dialogue and I had just
questions and dialogue and I had just adopted a little Tibetan girl not to
adopted a little Tibetan girl not to
adopted a little Tibetan girl not to keep and take home but that I was
keep and take home but that I was
keep and take home but that I was helping send a school there so I had six
helping send a school there so I had six
helping send a school there so I had six weeks there so we actually got a lot of
weeks there so we actually got a lot of
weeks there so we actually got a lot of time and so I actually befriended the
time and so I actually befriended the
time and so I actually befriended the Dalai Lama which was great so whenever I
Dalai Lama which was great so whenever I
Dalai Lama which was great so whenever I would go back he’s like oh come on we’re
would go back he’s like oh come on we’re
would go back he’s like oh come on we’re gonna go consecrate a Buddha statue and
gonna go consecrate a Buddha statue and
gonna go consecrate a Buddha statue and star not jump in you know and so I’d
star not jump in you know and so I’d
star not jump in you know and so I’d ride in his car this entourage and you
ride in his car this entourage and you
ride in his car this entourage and you know here he was meeting like every all
know here he was meeting like every all
know here he was meeting like every all the refugees anyone that comes in from
the refugees anyone that comes in from
the refugees anyone that comes in from Tibet he would meet with them and I
Tibet he would meet with them and I
Tibet he would meet with them and I actually ended up years later doing a
actually ended up years later doing a
actually ended up years later doing a book on him called a simple monk of
book on him called a simple monk of
book on him called a simple monk of these years of you know taking photos
these years of you know taking photos
these years of you know taking photos and so here I’ve sent this picture back
and so here I’ve sent this picture back
and so here I’ve sent this picture back to my parents I’m so proud look who I’m
to my parents I’m so proud look who I’m
to my parents I’m so proud look who I’m hang with you know the Dalai Lama and
hang with you know the Dalai Lama and
hang with you know the Dalai Lama and they had no idea who he is my mom’s like
they had no idea who he is my mom’s like
they had no idea who he is my mom’s like does he work in a dry cleaner I mean so
does he work in a dry cleaner I mean so
does he work in a dry cleaner I mean so so but then she you know she’s like wait
so but then she you know she’s like wait
so but then she you know she’s like wait you left
you left
you left Simon 3 for 3 weeks and all I know
Simon 3 for 3 weeks and all I know
Simon 3 for 3 weeks and all I know you’ve been gone for four years never
you’ve been gone for four years never
you’ve been gone for four years never hang out some guy with mala beads and
hang out some guy with mala beads and
hang out some guy with mala beads and shaved head and months Rove so she calls
shaved head and months Rove so she calls
shaved head and months Rove so she calls my father Frank she’s joined a cult go
my father Frank she’s joined a cult go
my father Frank she’s joined a cult go over there and get her so my father
over there and get her so my father
over there and get her so my father shows up and Paul with my brother to
shows up and Paul with my brother to
shows up and Paul with my brother to have an intervention I swear well anyway
have an intervention I swear well anyway
have an intervention I swear well anyway I brought them to Tibet and I’m like
I brought them to Tibet and I’m like
I brought them to Tibet and I’m like this is not a cult
this is not a cult
this is not a cult you know so we actually had a great time
you know so we actually had a great time
you know so we actually had a great time and my father became a huge advocate and
and my father became a huge advocate and
and my father became a huge advocate and you know loved it thought is a kick this
you know loved it thought is a kick this
you know loved it thought is a kick this is leaving his home and I kind of love
is leaving his home and I kind of love
is leaving his home and I kind of love this moment of you know we’re just
this moment of you know we’re just
this moment of you know we’re just talking and all of a sudden he just
talking and all of a sudden he just
talking and all of a sudden he just stops and he just blesses his guard
stops and he just blesses his guard
stops and he just blesses his guard that’s just beaming and you could just
that’s just beaming and you could just
that’s just beaming and you could just feel that love that he not only emanates
feel that love that he not only emanates
feel that love that he not only emanates and and and gives out but but receives
and and and gives out but but receives
and and and gives out but but receives and I’m one of the times that I went to
and I’m one of the times that I went to
and I’m one of the times that I went to go see him one of the more recent times
go see him one of the more recent times
go see him one of the more recent times because now he’s ubiquitous and it’s
because now he’s ubiquitous and it’s
because now he’s ubiquitous and it’s really hard to spend the time with him
really hard to spend the time with him
really hard to spend the time with him that I’ve have spent with him in the
that I’ve have spent with him in the
that I’ve have spent with him in the past it’s nothing like that and like we
past it’s nothing like that and like we
past it’s nothing like that and like we used to have it’s not like we used to
used to have it’s not like we used to
used to have it’s not like we used to have and I said to him you know I’m
have and I said to him you know I’m
have and I said to him you know I’m really started to take your time I want
really started to take your time I want
really started to take your time I want you to know that I really have the best
you to know that I really have the best
you to know that I really have the best of intentions and he stopped and he
of intentions and he stopped and he
of intentions and he stopped and he looked at me like really looked at me
looked at me like really looked at me
looked at me like really looked at me like I’ve never had anybody like look
like I’ve never had anybody like look
like I’ve never had anybody like look that deeply like in me and he said I
that deeply like in me and he said I
that deeply like in me and he said I know and he’s a good intent most
know and he’s a good intent most
know and he’s a good intent most important and all that you do always
important and all that you do always
important and all that you do always remember and I just I really carry those
remember and I just I really carry those
remember and I just I really carry those words because he said that’s what
words because he said that’s what
words because he said that’s what matters is the intent and that has made
matters is the intent and that has made
matters is the intent and that has made me such a softer person to myself
me such a softer person to myself
me such a softer person to myself because we’re all human and we all make
because we’re all human and we all make
because we’re all human and we all make mistakes and we don’t always do the
mistakes and we don’t always do the
mistakes and we don’t always do the right thing but I do stop and think what
right thing but I do stop and think what
right thing but I do stop and think what was my intent here and it gives me a
was my intent here and it gives me a
was my intent here and it gives me a little pause and I think that as long as
little pause and I think that as long as
little pause and I think that as long as you’re carrying the good intent and I
you’re carrying the good intent and I
you’re carrying the good intent and I think about that when I’m making a
think about that when I’m making a
think about that when I’m making a picture also and I think that that is
picture also and I think that that is
picture also and I think that that is what I try to convey when I’m making a
what I try to convey when I’m making a
what I try to convey when I’m making a picture of somebody that they can read
picture of somebody that they can read
picture of somebody that they can read what is my intent
what is my intent
what is my intent am i there to just exploit them am i
am i there to just exploit them am i
am i there to just exploit them am i there to
there to
there to celebrate them and I think that
celebrate them and I think that
celebrate them and I think that everybody wants to feel special so if
everybody wants to feel special so if
everybody wants to feel special so if you make that person feel special and
you make that person feel special and
you make that person feel special and celebrate it then it’s not an exploitive
celebrate it then it’s not an exploitive
celebrate it then it’s not an exploitive situation because a lot of people ask me
situation because a lot of people ask me
situation because a lot of people ask me how I take pictures of people because
how I take pictures of people because
how I take pictures of people because not everyone is comfortable doing that
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