28 December 2008

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Today is the last Monday that we will have in our Global Volunteers experience. It is now down to Harshal, Joelle and me. Yesterday Enid, Miriam, Joelle, and I went to the indoor outdoor flower/fruit market with Steven. It was an incredible feast for the eyes but much too short of an experience. We had to hurry to ensure Miriam and Enid made it to the airport on time. I’m glad that they were able to experience the market as we all seemed to enjoy it. As we wandered through, many of the vendors gave us flowers…I wasn’t sure if they gave them so we would buy their flowers, or if they were being kind. I chose to think they were being kind. I ended up with many flowers in my hair. This seemed to amuse the locals. It was fun. This was my highlight of the day…except for the excessive sweating!

My challenge was the realization that the team and the visit is dwindling down to a minimum. I’m filled with sadness, happiness, confusion and many unknown emotions. I know that I will be permanently left with a place in my heart for the children, the sisters, Dr. Sister Excellence, the unknown but frequent smiling faces, the cars and all forms of traffic, cows, sounds, smells, colors, beauty and overall mysteries of India. It is definitely a bit lonely with fewer people since the team dynamic is inevitably different. I think now those of us left have become more introspective.

I look forward to today and seeing Steven and Sheeba’s new house. Though they will not live there it will provide an extra source of income to help bring their lives closer to what they wish it to be.

I end with this quote: “Truth is what is. Truth is neither good or bad, ugly nor beautiful. Truth is just what exists—it is reality. The successful are realists. They are not trapped by false appearances. They see the world as it is.”


Cynthia