Adventures with Julia

October 9, 2019

Our 26th anniversary.  Today will probably be our longest anniversary ever, since we will get back the 12 hours we lost on the clock and experience a 36 hour October 9th.  Sure did not plan ahead for the occasion.  A hug and a kiss and we are on our way….home.

As I review the 46 days just passed, I think about all the scenery we experienced, especially the snow-capped mountains of Tibet and Pakistan and the green forests and meadows in Bandhavgarh Park; the narrow, cliff hanging roads in the north and the noisy, overcrowded roads in the cities;  the temples, forts, monasteries and palaces everywhere, from ancient and falling apart, to  solid gold plated.  Mostly, I think of the people we met along the way.  All were friendly, colorful and interesting and all had a story to tell us.  Some, especially the Pakistanis, were so warm-hearted and shared so much of themselves that we have come to care for and about them and wonder how they are carrying on in their lives.  We correspond with some of them, especially our Pakistan and Indian guides, Shifa and Ashim.  Sadly, we seem unable to communicate with our Uygher guide, whose story we felt so deeply and whose life may be at risk.  As we return home to our regular activities, we hope we do not forget them or the lessons they taught us about life in other places and the many history lessons they shared with us. 

About 10 days ago, I was feeling tired and wanting to go home.  Then, a new surge of energy came over me, especially in Bandhavgarh Park, and I did not want to leave.  However, it is time.  Mark insists 7 weeks is too long and does not want to be gone longer than a month in the future.  We shall see.  I am hoping he will be OK with a compromise of 5 weeks.  The blog took about as much time and energy as other trips, except we had better WiFi on this trip, even in places I expected to find none.  That helped allow me to insert more images into the posts and even tell some of the story through a series of photos.   

Here are some words that Mother Teresa spoke that touched me and will, I hope, touch you too.  Of all the different religions we experienced during this adventure, the most powerful words and lessons come from this little woman filled with love.

Love and blessings to you all,

Julia and Mark 

“So you and I, let us begin with that tender love and care in our own home.  For this is what we have been created for.  This is what Jesus came to teach us, to love one another as He loves each one of us.  We have many poor people around the world, but I find that the poverty of loneliness, the poverty of being unwanted, unloved, uncared, just left, a throwaway of society, is a very difficult and very, very burdensome poverty, very difficult to remove.

I have picked up from the streets hungry people, and by giving them to eat, by giving them a bed to sleep, I have removed the suffering, but for the lonely, the shut-ins, the unwanted, it’s not so easy.  And so there you and I must come forward, and share the joy of loving, but we cannot give what we don’t have.  That’s why we need to pray.  And prayer will give us a clean heart, and a clean heart will allow us to see God in each other.  And if we see God in each other, we will be able to live in peace, and if we live in peace, we will be able to share the joy of loving with each other and God will be with us.

God bless you,

Mother Teresa”