I'm off to India again, this time with Corrado. Do I like India? Yes and no, like any place on this planet. I love spiritual India, her sacred places, retreats. Overall, people are nice. They go the extra yard/metre to win the favour of a swami.
You have to make the most of any place where you are. And India, with her dense population, noise, contaminants in the air, and traffic can be one big hurdle. I have come to the point where I try to overlook that side and view the faces of smiles and wonder, which pierce through all of the mayhem.
If India wanted to, it could clean up its act. Have you ever been to the airports in Delhi or Mumbai? They are state-of-the-art. They show what a bit of determination can do.
I love one story of determination as outlined in the Gita. The sparrow was all in a frenzy when a wave from the ocean swooped up and stole her nest of eggs from a tree branch. In retaliation, she was resolute in pecking away and drying up the ocean, which simply laughed at her. The great eagle bird, Garuda, saw the commotion and the determination of his little sparrow friend. He stood stout and strong against the ocean and threatened, "Ocean, bring back the eggs or I'll dry you up." The mighty ocean complied.
Yes, India, with all its optimistic energy, can change for the better, and match up to its powerful spiritual tradition. Come to think of it, I wish North America, Europe, and all other places who profess to be ‘developed’ could adopt more of the finer values in life.
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