i was smarter
i was more curious- asked more questions
i had a better memory for names, dates, numbers
i could pronounce stuff
i could speak another language!
i could remember and keep all these Hindu gods straight
i could travel most of the time
i could remember not to complain
i could have my family and friends see all this
i could eat Nan without getting fat
i could buy something from every kid that was selling
i could learn to see pigeons as sacred as the Hindus do
i was as industrious, entrepreneurial and good natured as the Indians are that i have met
i will learn a great deal from this experience
Inspired and inspiring!
ReplyDeleteVerna,
ReplyDeleteI have loved hearing so much resonance this week. It's true, I've found that while rumors of tigers HAVE been greatly exaggerated, and yes, I could not agree more, there ARE too many wars with WAY too many people over way too LONG a period of time for ANYONE to remember, nonetheless, the preemptive celebration dialed forward by one month to the day does land exactly at your over-there birthday considering the adjusted time and place coordinates when you factor in the rotation of the earth, the plane flight through all those time zones to get there, and the impact of such thoughtful group of parallel universe friends. Now in your between-birthday zone, there you sit like that with your knees to your chest, smack at the apex of citadel ruins while all the romantic, chivalrous ghosts that surround you prepare to materialize for your over-here birthday.
I'm taking off tomorrow for my version of the semicentennial celebration, not as Verna as yours, Verna, but very Mary. I am surprised to see that I do feel really happy about my brithday. It really snuck up on me as a big cause for celebrating.