what I remember of the Taj Mahal

no room for rush

no space for sad

train conversation 

with cute fellow nomad

he's French & articulate 

& we speak of the world

I've gone from world traveling missionary 

to blushing school girl

He asks how I got here

I say I wish I knew

he says the same with more words

one hour passes, then two

my eyes leave his light blues

as he tells me about home

I look to his shaggy brown hair 

& wish my fingers were a comb 

70 people in our rail car

not an occidental concept of space

but the closeness is suddenly comforting

his laugh makes my heart race

'chi!' yells the tea seller

'chains for luggage' yells another

running up & down the isles 

then three children & their mother

my fellow travelers in the adjacent row

that have become my two brothers

--hardship & travel will do that--

make jokes one after another

teasing the intentions

of my new focus of attention

they soon make friends with him too

without any contention 

train pulls into the station

back to Delhi via Taj express

exchange of contact information

without love, monuments are useless

&& a happy new year*

Happy New Year!!
it's been crazy here at the Ashram. We made it thru a hurricane & have literally spent all day cleaning. The volunteers had plans to attend a masquerade party at a French resort, but they've canceled due to damages. It's amazing how everyone here just popped into action. It's a natural & healthy way of coping with all the damage that has been done to their homes that I'm learning a lot from. Some of the trees have been here since the community started here in the ashram, but they will grow back. There are no big pick ups to load up & only one chainsaw, so we've all been working our tails off dragging things by hand & raking, etc.

In about a week I'm headed to see the Taj Mahal with a couple of the guys here & then off to Calcutta with some of the girls <3.

Not much time for reflection at the moment, but happy happy HAPPY new year. I haven't settled on a resolution yet-- I googled some, but idk. I think I should write more.. (more better that is ;) )

I have a certain Montgomery in mind for my midnight kiss, but I'll understand if I'm too out of the way for him to make it :)

*up on the housetop reindeer paws*

There's a gate on one of the back walks I take that reminds me of my friends lake house back out in Seguin, Texas & all the fun & trouble we got into. I remember heading out one weekend in college before finals for studying, writing & fishing & ending up at a crawfish boil in South Louisiana before it was all said & done. I've been very fortunate in my life-- God gave me a super guardian angel that is good at working overtime. I don't know if I've ever felt so content in my life as I do now. It's hard to explain-- leaving everything & everyone I love to try to answer God's call has been the hardest thing I've ever done in my life, but also the most fruitful. In one of the priests homily this advent he focused on the poverty of Mary. Think about it-- the angel appears to her, gives her the news, she accepts it with blind faith & then-- THEN-- the angel Gabriel leaves her. Like-- can you imagine?? She had to just deal with it & keep on keeping on. What a woman.

I've been trying to do one (at least) new thing each day while I am here. Today one of the Indian girls living with the Sisters taught me how to put on my Christmas Sari. I didn't have a mirror, but I'm totally stoked & I think I rocked it :) I'm totally wearing that sucker somewhere back in the states. One of the girls doesn't have one to wear (you can get a silk one for $20 USD) & I'm thinking of getting it for her as a Christmas gift, but I'm caught whether she doesn't want it because of the money or if she just doesn't want it. I don't want to make her feel uncomfortable & still not sure what to do.

Another new thing-- went to a beauty shop here owned by a lady who goes to mass here at the Ashram. Indian people-- at least the ones from the South are really rough! In spanish we would say "tosca". They're always grabbin & tryna fix your hair or stick a dot on your forehead, but I'd been telling her I'd go for a month now so.. I went. She did that eyebrow plucking thing where they use a string instead of wax- not bad. My eyebrows did need it.. & she insisted that I didn't pay. Before I left she (and her two other customers) took pictures of me with their camera phones.

Yesterday I went into town with the lady who runs this place & it was great! I don't know how she does it, but she was Christmas shopping for each child & took the time to get me my sari, too. It was really nice being with someone who knew where they were going. I didn't get anyone gifts for Christmas, so I hope they didn't get me anything. Hope you all are having a happy advent :)