Black and Blue

  I do not think that I have mentioned the traffic here in India.  Basically there are two rules: Keep to the left, and the biggest man wins.  Thats pretty much it.  There is sometimes (if you are on the freeway) yellow lines signifying the edges of the road and a white dotted line in the middle, people usually don't pay attention anyway.  As long as you think there is room to pass, there is.  It's pretty much chaotic but has a certain rhythm to it.  Also helmet and seat belts you never really see or use.
  The last few days, while watching and being a part of this, I begin to recognize the vulnerability of human life.  We have a weak and easily penetrated skin, we bruise like a peach, we have no sharp fangs or claws, we are small and pretty slow.  Despite all of this, we zoom around on our automobiles, ride bulls, jump out of airplanes and all number dangerous crazy activities.
   As if to prove a point to me about humans ability to handle tough circumstances physically, life has been sending me some challenges.  The other day while riding someone was trying to go to the right instead of left.  The person in front of me swerved to avoid collision and I swerved to avoid them, and hit a tree instead. =)  Except for pair of slightly sore hips (from being rammed into the handle bars) I road away clean.  But wait!  Theres more!  Today as I was driving along a skinny bike path, someone was headed toward me and tried to stay right, as I stayed left.  As you can guess, this was ineffective.  We collided head on, the bikes piled together, with me in the middle, pinned in because his bike pedal was stuck in my tire.  Once again I learned just how tough my body is.  I think I will have a few big bruises but considering the condition of our bikes, that is a miracle =P  Ok, I might be sore for a few days... =)
  Moral of the story... I know nothing about human anatomy =P.  Or to acknowledge the fragility of life.  In Judaism, they wake up every morning and thank the Lord that they are alive.  To be alive and healthy is such a blessing that we just do not acknowledge from day to day.
  Ok, thats all I have on this random blog... lol

ok... here goes nothin =)

Ok, so, I have never written a blog and I never intended to.  I figured the act of posting stories of my life and expecting the world to read them might make me a bit coincided, personal thought.  (Also I did not want no one to read them =P) However, after much insistence from my dear friends and family, here I am.

First of all, you should know that I am in India, and if you are reading this, chances are you already do =).  Secondly, India is AMAZING.  Unless you have been here I can not explain it to you.  It is like the difference between reading a book about an elephant and actually seeing and elephant.  (Which by the way, I did.  It was awesome!!  If you gave it a fruit or a coin it would catch it in its trunk and pat you on the head!  Of course I gave it a lime, but it missed my head =(  But I felt kind of bad for it, it looked so sad, imagine if you had to stand around all day getting money and tapping stinky people on the head.  ANYWAY)  The poverty outside the area I am staying in is devastating and heart breaking.  It just feels so overwhelming and makes me feel so small.  It also makes me very grateful for the blessings that have been poured out on my life.  I am so thankful that I am here and alive and free =).  We heard a Buddhist monk talk about Buddhist philosophy on the environment, and he simplified all the issues down into one fundamental problem, human greed, the desire for more.  He said if you are not happy with one pair of shoes, you will never be satisfied no matter how many pairs of shoes you have.  This outlook really forces an inward look.  Here in India it is easier, I have one pair of shoes and that is all I need.  But in the US society makes it difficult to be happy with what you have, but that is the key.

We just finished the first week which was basically a tour of Auroville the place that I am staying, it is smaller then what I was expecting but still cool.  We bike everywhere, there is no need for a care unless we go into the neighboring cities.  I decided to do my service learning at a school teaching children English and math, and having alot of fun =).  The kids here are so cute, one girl asked me if I polished my hair =P hehe.  Everyday I am finding the beauty in simplicity.  Life here is so simplified, it is not complicated and confusing like at home, just breaking things down to the fundamentals is soooooo important.  Well I could write all day but I will save some for later.  Thanks for reading my blog =P.  If you have questions just message me on FB =)

Love and miss you all  =)