Well over a year before we embarked on this adventure I was nervous about leaving my daughters behind; how my heart would break and how much I would miss them. But in those four weeks away, my heart didn’t break because I was missing my girls - I was comforted knowing they were safe in New Zealand, eating good food, drinking clean water, sleeping in comfortable beds. Instead my heart broke for the mothers who were begging for milk for their babies. My heart broke for the children, no older than five, begging for money, food, whatever they could get their hands on. My heart broke for entire families who slept on cardboard boxes on the footpaths we walked along. My heart broke for the young boy who lay dead on the side of the road, whose mother probably had no idea where he was.
But my heart also broke when four incredible weeks came to an end. Because in India I fell in love with a country that has affected me like no other country ever has. I went on a journey of a lifetime that took me on more emotional lows and highs than I thought possible in such a short space of time.
India has made me appreciate the importance of a simple smile. It has reconfirmed that genuine happiness is infectious, and reminded me just how good sidesplitting laughter feels. And it’s made me realise that even though as individuals we may not be able to change the world, if we can make a difference in even one person’s life, it is possible for the snowball effect to occur.
Being in India also highlighted that our world is full of remarkable young people doing incredible things. I felt greatly inspired by the kids at Future Hope. One bright little girl, who’d had a number of tumours removed from her brain, was excited about her future - her dream is to become a doctor one day to help children like herself. I felt a huge amount of respect for the kids at Asha who already have huge responsibilities and are making a real difference in improving their community. But a special mention is the enormous admiration I felt watching a magnificent group of 22 young men maturing before my eyes. Daily, they demonstrated the importance of communicating even the most vulnerable of feelings, and handled very challenging situations with grace and sensitivity. This was humbling to see.
This journey also reminded me that on so many levels, we are all the same. The afternoon we spent in Brooklyn community in Kolkata will forever remain a special memory. It was exciting to meet twin girls, young teenagers, feisty, fun, happy; and with a zest for life I can only hope my own twins have when they reach their age. I also met a beautiful little girl the same age as my daughters who did not leave my side the entire afternoon. She took me into her tiny home, so proud and excited about showing off her foreign guest. The smell of the smoke in this small room was overwhelming but at least it masked the unbearable smells outside. She introduced me to her mother, and we chatted, not understanding a word of what the other was saying, but connecting nonetheless. We hugged when I left. My heart felt full.
We have all experienced a different India. We all saw India through different eyes. Some of us will return, some of us not, but we will all hold a piece of India in our hearts forever. So, India - from me to you - I will see you again. Although I feel a huge gap in my heart now I am no longer with you, my heart also feels full for having met you. I’ve got you under my skin, I’ve got you deep in the heart of me, so deep in my heart you’re really a part of me. Frank Sinatra - I couldn’t have worded it better myself.
No comments:
Post a Comment