I Was There and Now I am Here

Here are photos and captions that I took from the day I departed India and travelled to the US.

The last photo I took in November 2018 when I was in Rishikesh was of this murti of Hanuman. This past winter I had a dream with this murti in it and in the dream there was a temple behind it, a tall temple with many stories. I spent time here, at this place on Ma Ganga and in front of this murti throughout my time in Rishikesh, it was not until this very moment that I saw and registered that the 13 story Shiva temple (Trayambakeshwar) is in the background. You can also see the Laxam Jhula bridge.

My beloved Ria and I used to say “Look over your shoulder baby,” to one another. Here I am doing that, a nod to three things I love - MJ in front of Ma Ganga, with Shiva in the distance.

Soon after that photo it started raining…I decided to sit at my local chai shop to have aloo paratha (a flat, fried bread with potatoes) and sabji (cooked vegetables, here it is cauliflower and cabbage). My chai was on its way….

I sent this picture to my family as I was leaving the wifi access I had. I anticipated that I would not be able to access wifi to be in touch with them until I arrived in the US. That proved to be true.

On my way into the Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun.

I continue to be amazed by the power of a gaze. Our eyes convey so much.

It is so easy to see the smile that adorns my face even though you can not see the smile. It is all conveyed through the eyes.

A snapshot from inside of the International Terminal in Delhi which you have to show your boarding pass or proof that you are flying as well as your passport to enter. The guard, who had a gun, asked me “are you sure you want to enter? Your flight is not until 10:45 pm and it is now only 2. Once you come in, I can not let you out.” “Yes,” I replied, assuring him I was prepared to be inside for that long. I wrote a few pieces during that stretch of time which I will add here.

I would write a bit, then stand to stretch my legs. You can not check in until three hours before departure, so I had to carry by bag with me wherever I went. I had an opportunity in High School for my first international trip to Spain (with my beloved Abbey) and as I prepared to go, my dad taught me to never travel with more you can carry, it has been a valuable lesson as I moved a lot while in India and had to carry my bags with me while navigating the terminal. After a trip to the bathroom I noticed a newsstand. As I made my way through the small shop, I saw a refrigerator section that said Chilled Drinks; I walked towards it. To my pure delight I saw a Snapple, a PEACH Snapple! Oh my heart was full with joy! A peach Snapple at the Delhi airport! I selected a bag of mature cheddar and red onion chips to accompany it. When I got to the register, the gentleman rang up both the Snapple and the chips it was 585 rupees. I was a bit confused since the chips were 8o rupees, doing the math in my head I figured the Snapple was close to $8. No, I thought to my self, I can not purchase a Snapple for $8, and then I thought, Why Not?

You can imagine the delight that radiated from my heart as I lifted the cap to read this! The message. An octopus! Three hearts! A Peach Snapple. The Delhi airport in India. I could not make this up. Life is wonderful. So, so, so very grateful to be able to experience this brilliant life.

Once through customs and screening, on my way to the gate, I saw a man eating kulfi, a traditional Indian ice cream. “Yum,” I said out loud, “great choice.” The man, whose name is Ajat, turned and said, come have one. He bought me pistachio kulfi and I enjoyed it in the airport. Ice cream in the airport! I finished it right before I went through the second screening to board the plane.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I slept for the first 11 hours of the flight! When I awoke and checked the time that remained until I landed, I had enough time to watch a movie. I had been seeking an opportunity to watch The Matrix and to my delight they had it as an option. “It is the question that drives us mad. It’s the question that brought you here.” When I saw that Neo and Trinity ascended to the 41st floor to bring Morpheus out of the Matrix I was charmed that I was sitting in row 41… I have not put all of this together to glean meaning… I simply love moments like this…as everything is happening for us…

Laura realized that I was flying on 3.14/15! I like numbers. Which is a nod to pi- 3.1415926535 and Ms. Washington’s math class at Mt Hebron Middle school. Ms. Washington taught us a rhythm to remember the sequence. Ask me to chant it for you the next time we connect, I am happy to share it. It too, brings me much joy!

There were so many people arriving in the US, they stopped us at the top of the stairs to manage the flow down below. The image is blurry because I was not supposed to take a picture and there were so many people behind me I could not stop.

There she is, my trusty red travel bag appeared as if on cue, right as I walked up to the baggage carousel.

I spent my first few hours in the US at an airport hotel. This is a moment I captured while there.

On the go again. In the elevator headed down to meet my Mom and my Dad! They arrived in Newark later that evening from a trip Panama and Costa Rica. We were going to go to their house, which my Dad named the International House.

What a welcome! Pook had crumb topping donuts, flowers, and a balloon waiting to greet us! Yes, we ate donuts at 2:30 in the morning. There is not wrong time to enjoy a donut.

This is what was waiting for me when I went upstairs!

This was the card she wrote to me that was hidden in the envelope. I mean!

And this, is what was inside a pink bag surrounded by gold heart tissue paper. Her name is Ophelia and she was “born” in November 2019… the same time I departed for India!

Yes, life is magical and I am so grateful to be living mine to the fullest!

Sending you love from three hearts and an eight armed HUG!

in love and light,

Sara