Christmas in Kolkata

Wow, a week has gone by and nothing has changed and everything has changed. I still have missing luggage, I still don't have word from the bank on my closing penalty, I still can't reach Dell - same story. I did reconnect with friends from August, I managed to laugh at myself quite often and I got to do some art. Oh yes, I learned how to count to 10 in Bengali! Woohoo!! Major accomplishment.

Each morning I ran in the park enjoying myself immensely then I would walk with Auntie and her friends. Today I even managed to follow the conversation in Bengali even though I didn't know what they were saying exactly, I knew what they were talking about and it wasn't as mentally exhausting. This is really good news. I noticed a tree in the park and as I got closer to it I realized it was a Poinsettia. I have never seen a Poinsettia grow into a tree before. Quite spectacular.

After such a delightful morning I would frustrate myself into a frenzy dealing with the same old business (banks, luggage, computers), then I let it all go. Each afternoon I spent with Sreeshti playing games, painting, drawing, going to the park, feeding the fish. It was the most enjoyable part of my day.

Christmas Eve I saw 2 Santa's that were so tall...

I joined a gym yesterday and it felt so good to pump some iron again. My calcium is in the missing luggage so I need to keep my bones strong. I'm getting used to eating dinner around 9 or 10pm and then having tea. The caffeine keeps me up until 1 or 2am at which point I frustrate myself into a frenzy once again attempting to do the same business (bank, luggage, computer) during business hours in USA. I finally drift off to sleep.

It's beginning to get a little cold at night. I had to use 2 blankets last night and my feet were cold all night long. Well only about 2 hours because my phone rang at 4am and this woman is talking to me and I don't know who it is because I'm half asleep. My sister, Liz called to wish me a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Something we did as children. To keep the phone cost down I Skyped her but I couldn't hear her because she doesn't have a mic. We had a one way conversation for about an hour LOL. I talked and talked and talked and she would type a question here and there. Then I realized my connection was lost and wondered how long I was talking to myself. I got back online and told her we needed to instant chat because I couldn't keep a one way conversation going on much longer. I thought we said our good byes and I finally got to go to the toilet. I noticed a bucket of clothes I left soaking last night so I rinsed them off, wrung them as dry as I could and I heard this strange noise. I walked into my room and the computer was making the noise. Liz could still hear me and she heard the entire process of me relieving myself and washing the clothes, etc. We laughed and laughed. Well, I think she laughed I still couldn't hear her. (BTW Liz, we can Skype and you can keep your phone on but mute the computer, that way the phone is your mic. I figured this out while walking this morning).

So, there ya have it. It's 1:30pm on Christmas Day in Kolkata. The weather is odd. It's in the 50's but it's hot in the sun and cold in the shade. I don't know what to wear. I know how to layer but the layering in this part of the world is different.

I believe the biggest change for me is coming to the realization of love. I want to share with you from a book Auntie let me read that touched me so much so that I wrote it down. For this concept has been an intellectual concept for me my entire life but never an experiential one. I am experiencing what I have been looking for my entire life and my heart wants to burst with joy.

From the book My Life and Mission - Swami Vivekananda

A 1,000 times dispondency came but there was one thing always to keep us hopeful, the tremendous faithfulness to each other, the tremendous love between us....

In happiness, in misery, in famine, in pain, in the grave, in heaven, or in hell, he who never gives me up is my friend...

A man may have salvation if he can love like that. If we have that faithfulness, there is the essence of all concentration. You need not worship any gods in the world if you have that faith, that strength, that love.

We will have to help each other, but we have to go one step further: the first thing is to become unselfish in help. If the Hindus want to help you, there will be no question of limitations: perfect unselfishness. I give and there it ends. It is gone from me. My mind, my powers, my everything that I have to give, and no more.

So help when you can, but mind what your motive is. If it is selfish, it will neither benefit those you help or yourself. If it is unselfish, it will bring blessings upon them whom it is given, and infinite blessing upon you, sure as your are living.

I shall inspire men everywhere, until the world shall know that it is one with God.

I am living here and now as the Hindus, giving without a motive, giving unselfishly, giving because I can and have the power to do so. I do not do this to gain, but because it is in my heart and there is so much in my heart to give it overflows. It took 50 years to fine home but I found it and I am very very happy.

AMEN - Merry Christmas and happy birthday Jesus