LIFE IS HOW YOU SEE IT

Everyone always says that India changes you. That seeing a world so different than the one we are familiar with makes an impact on how you see the world. I went to India looking for color, focused on blockprinting, taking beautiful photos and shopping in vibrant bazaars. I wasn’t living in an Ashram and looking for a spiritual journey, but I do think that being thrown into Indian life did somehow lead to a transformation.

On the way back from my journey, on the long 22+ hour flights from Jodphur/Delhi/Dubai, I had more than enough time to reflect on what I had seen and all that I had experienced in the whirlwind adventure. India IS another world, a powerful, beautiful country full of extremes and contradictions. It was beautiful and eye opening and intense and captivating. Total anarchy and chaos yet things worked out. The simplest things were so enthralling.

We had met some Aussie travelers early on our trip, and inquired if going to the Taj Mahal was worth it, as it definitely got mixed reviews from being crowded, touristy, and crazy despite being a wonder of the world. The older Aussie summed it up perfectly. He told us, “The Taj is what you make of it. It is crowded. It is full of thousands of tourists. You can focus on that, or you can turn around, hire a guide to take you to the perfect spot at the perfect sunrise moment, and you can experience the splendor of the splendor in total awe.” Yes, that summed it up. Traveling with our wonderful tour guides and getting a chance to have a curated tour of India allowed us to appreciate the marvels with minimal difficulty and survive the craziness. We tried to have open minds to new adventures and experienced so many special moments as a result.

So, what did I learn? 

Life is now you see it.

It’s your perspective on the world.

It’s a contradiction.

It’s chaotic.

It’s captivating.

It’s heartbreaking.

It’s heartwarming.

It’s making the impossible possible.

It’s walking on glass and not getting cut.

It’s charming a cobra and not getting bitten.

It’s making the most of your situation and appreciating what you have.

It’s appreciating the small moments.

The candy given to a child.

The laughter and the kindness of strangers.

The ritual that’s intriguing and scary.

It’s the belief that things will work out.

The good fortune of traveling with a total stranger and sharing so many incredible moments.

The gratefulness for tokens of hospitality like unlimited snacks and water.

Be positive and things will work out.

Believe the best in people.

The world is good if you see the good.

Anything IS possible.