the other day we started a list of things we love; of everyday things we are thankful to God for. we have been learning a lot about being thankful, and not just in a general way, but in a very specific, ongoing kind of way, a way that slows you down and allows you to be present in each moment. a lot of the reason for this is that i'm reading a book about thankfulness, but we have also met people who have impressed this on us by the way they live.
a lot of our intereaction in kolkata has been with other travellers. we are staying in the cheapest hostel we could find, which means it is full of other backpackers who are doing the same. we have loved making new friends and meeting people from all over the world.
jess, freya and dom are our friends from oxford. they are wonderful people. the three of them are med-school friends who decided to travel india for the summer. they are people bursting with joy and ready to embrace any experience along the way. they are three people who have taught me to be present and be thankful in each moment. every time i see them they seem to have found a different nuance of indian culture to relish in. whether its the crispiness of kati rolls (these giant egg rolls native to kolkata), the tradition of chai, or the way children call you 'auntie' or 'uncle', not an experience goes by that is not lived to the fullest. these three friends of ours really know how to receive.
the other day we went to a sweets shop together. kolkata is known for its sweets and this was meant to be the best place to get them. we were all giddy on the way to the shop. the store was on a sidestreet off a sidestreet. a little gem that was well-hidden. we got there and i watched as their eyes lit up at the sight of all the sweets. i was excited too, but part of me was also thinking about the logisitics of how we would try them, where we would sit, what we would do next. these three, though, were living in the moment, chatting to the man at the stand and excitedly ordering sweets. as we layed them out on this bench (which we later noticed was a shrine...oops) we started taking pieces of each one, making tasting notes and comparing with eachother. i took a few photos of the event and later when i looked at them, the sheer joy on the faces of our friends got me thinking. jess, dom, and freya are people who really know how to receive. what i mean by this is, in each moment they are fully present, each experience is filled with gratitude. its like when you are a child and get the coolest power ranger action figure for your birthday. the moment you get it, there is nothing else on your mind. you are not thinking about whats next or the homework you need to do that night. you are just living in that moment. i am learning that true thankfulness, the true ability to receive the gifts God gives us, can only happen when we slow down and give specific thanks for each gift.
hagen and albertina are our german friends. when dave was sick, they gave him bisquits and we bonded over sharing our sickness stories. these two amazing people have been travelling for months now. there is something about travelling that helps you to be in a posture that allows for you to be more receptive of experiences. when dave was sick, the three of us went to the flower market and howrah bridge. as we were walking across the bridge, hagen said we should just stand there for a while. there was a rule against taking photos there, so we just stood and looked out over the river. it was only a couple minutes before i felt the urge to keep moving, but hagen and albertina seemed perfectly content to just stand there and enjoy the view. we stood there for a while as hagen made comments about the structure of the bridge and albertina talked about the colourful buildings on the other side. the bridge was ok i guess, but for these people who have really travelled the world, their ability to have an appreciation and a pace that allowed them to have that appreciation was amazing. it is that slow pace and mindfulness in each moment that i need to learn in my life.
so we started a list. as we list off the things that we are thankful for (the sound of heavy rain on the roof, a bed to sleep in, biting into a perfectly soft mango...) we are hoping it will teach us to receive the gifts God, rather than rushing past them. we are hoping that as we write, our hearts and minds will follow. we are so thankful for these new friends who are helping us to learn this.
a lot of our intereaction in kolkata has been with other travellers. we are staying in the cheapest hostel we could find, which means it is full of other backpackers who are doing the same. we have loved making new friends and meeting people from all over the world.
jess, freya and dom are our friends from oxford. they are wonderful people. the three of them are med-school friends who decided to travel india for the summer. they are people bursting with joy and ready to embrace any experience along the way. they are three people who have taught me to be present and be thankful in each moment. every time i see them they seem to have found a different nuance of indian culture to relish in. whether its the crispiness of kati rolls (these giant egg rolls native to kolkata), the tradition of chai, or the way children call you 'auntie' or 'uncle', not an experience goes by that is not lived to the fullest. these three friends of ours really know how to receive.
the other day we went to a sweets shop together. kolkata is known for its sweets and this was meant to be the best place to get them. we were all giddy on the way to the shop. the store was on a sidestreet off a sidestreet. a little gem that was well-hidden. we got there and i watched as their eyes lit up at the sight of all the sweets. i was excited too, but part of me was also thinking about the logisitics of how we would try them, where we would sit, what we would do next. these three, though, were living in the moment, chatting to the man at the stand and excitedly ordering sweets. as we layed them out on this bench (which we later noticed was a shrine...oops) we started taking pieces of each one, making tasting notes and comparing with eachother. i took a few photos of the event and later when i looked at them, the sheer joy on the faces of our friends got me thinking. jess, dom, and freya are people who really know how to receive. what i mean by this is, in each moment they are fully present, each experience is filled with gratitude. its like when you are a child and get the coolest power ranger action figure for your birthday. the moment you get it, there is nothing else on your mind. you are not thinking about whats next or the homework you need to do that night. you are just living in that moment. i am learning that true thankfulness, the true ability to receive the gifts God gives us, can only happen when we slow down and give specific thanks for each gift.
hagen and albertina are our german friends. when dave was sick, they gave him bisquits and we bonded over sharing our sickness stories. these two amazing people have been travelling for months now. there is something about travelling that helps you to be in a posture that allows for you to be more receptive of experiences. when dave was sick, the three of us went to the flower market and howrah bridge. as we were walking across the bridge, hagen said we should just stand there for a while. there was a rule against taking photos there, so we just stood and looked out over the river. it was only a couple minutes before i felt the urge to keep moving, but hagen and albertina seemed perfectly content to just stand there and enjoy the view. we stood there for a while as hagen made comments about the structure of the bridge and albertina talked about the colourful buildings on the other side. the bridge was ok i guess, but for these people who have really travelled the world, their ability to have an appreciation and a pace that allowed them to have that appreciation was amazing. it is that slow pace and mindfulness in each moment that i need to learn in my life.
so we started a list. as we list off the things that we are thankful for (the sound of heavy rain on the roof, a bed to sleep in, biting into a perfectly soft mango...) we are hoping it will teach us to receive the gifts God, rather than rushing past them. we are hoping that as we write, our hearts and minds will follow. we are so thankful for these new friends who are helping us to learn this.
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