Living in the Moment

          There are certain stages that you reach in life in which you can reflectively look back on another part of life. Usually, it is only then that you realize the former part of your life currently in consideration was so perfectly tranquil, making it indelible to your memory. It is only after the passing of time that makes you aware that the catastrophes were mere trifles, and the moments of enjoyment were far more frequent than they originally seemed; in short, that life was simple and easy. Usually, you have no idea how much you will revert to these moments in your mind with a yearning that borders on regret and begs the questions “Why did I not stop to appreciate more?”

        Despite this human inclination, sometimes we are granted with moments in which we are entirely conscious of the remarkable chapter of life we are in. Such an epiphany happened today. Coming to India had long been my adventurous dream. It was crystalized in my mind as being exotic, mesmerizing, and enticing, and that I would finally satiate at least one of my explorative desires. After arriving here, I was still gripped by the novelty of India, but my excitement had been harshly checked by the difficulties and frustrations that you encounter while adjusting to an entirely unfamiliar country. Today I became cognizant of how much those struggles just really didn’t matter.

My friends and I set off from Hunsur to visit a Tibetan refugee settlement about an hour away. It’s main attractions were the numerous ornate monasteries, as well its rebellious attitude toward eating beef. As we cruised our way in a rickshaw to the colony, after some auspicious help from a friendly man on the bus, and took in the rolling golden corn fields with the faded blue mountains in the background, it struck me how blissful life actually is. The entire premises of a refugee settlement is based on the desire to be free and peaceful. These people escaped turmoil in their homeland and created an entirely new life with those desires at the forefront of their thoughts. Who could appreciate the concept of relishing in a tranquil moment better than refugees?

After exploring the Sera Tey Monastery and finding a hole in the wall Tibetan restaurant (that served beef!) we started backtracking our way through the corn fields on foot. The lack of cars, pollution, and noise, combined with the afore mentioned scenery, as well as the knowledge that I was doing something so entirely out of the ordinary stream of life, is what triggered me to acknowledge what a special moment was occurring. Even with all the annoyances I’ve had in the last three weeks, I fully comprehended that my life is virtually stress and problem free. I have the leisure to explore, travel, and reflect on an entirely new place, and I have three months to do it. Walking with my friends in the brilliant sunshine, breathing in the clean country air, and gazing across the vibrant fields, I knew that this was one of many moments of my life in India that my memory should earnestly savor.