Today I realized that the Indian people are really a great lesson for Americans..Here it is great to be from the West..you have plenty of money and you can afford plenty of food and afford to stay in a very nice apartment for little money. It is so great to walk down the street and see people looking at you and smiling..You have children of all ages from a few years to late teens stopping as asking you...What Country are you from...Hewo..are you American...The people are so nice..Of course you have the greedy and the not so nice but the people of India in general are a nonviolent and very welcoming community..If you go into a store or cafe the people working are always going out of their way to help you feel at home in their little neighborhood..They will give you the best food and the prettiest of items to take with you for little money..Even when it is expensive in India it is really cheap for us..It is a country of many many wonderful things but the most beautiful thing in India are the people and the goodness in their heart.
The other day I was in the market and I came across a loud arguement by a pile of tomatoes..There was a lady who was caucasion and she was yelling at this really weak and sick looking elderly man...She wanted three tomatoes and was paying for them with a 500R bill..For those of you that don't know..three tomatoes are about 3 or 4 rupees...So of course the poor guy from the tomato stand is not going to have enough change to break a 500R bill..A lot of restaurants have problems breaking a 500R bill...So the nice elderly man kindly appologized to her and said he didn't have enough change to break her large bill..She continued yelling at him and told him he was an idiot and finally threw the tomatoes at his feet..the elderly man picked up the tomatoes and looked as if he had done something wrong walked up the the lady and handed her the tomatoes and said here..She turned and walked away..so I looked at her and she smiled...confused... I just looked at her with my mouth open..she said you have to know how to talk to these people they aren't like us...and... as I assumed... she was American...I told her that she made me sick to my stomach and she should be ashamed of her self..she just walked away...As I walked by the elderly man he just smiled at me.
There are a few more examples I could write about but I'm not going to give them power..I just think in America how many times have I seen a person from another country and asked them where they are from or even smiled and said hello..not very often..I hear a lot about people from other countries taking our jobs and spending all of our money...It kind of makes me sick..I think everyone that works pays taxes no matter what nationality they are in America..If you don't believe me just ask that guy FICA..If you don't know who I'm talking about look at your next paycheck..The fact is I'm a self-centered person not to be aware of my worldly neighbor living down the street from me or shopping in my local grocery store..Why have I not said hello..or even smiled..Well...I will now..not because I feel the need to... because I want to..I want to give back that warmness I feel when an Indian child asks me what country I'm from or takes the time to stop and smile or say hello...Aren't we all brothers and sisters when it comes down to it in the end?..If you don't think so than maybe you should do just that...Think more..If you don't want say anything...Smile..last time I checked it was a free emotion and it won't only make your worldly brother or sister feel better it will probably make you fell better as well..
So I am grateful for Mysore, India, and it's people..I am grateful for my own country and the lessons I have learned and continue to learn...I am grateful to be alive and well and be a part of a world where yes there is pain and evil...but there is happiness and love as well..I choose love and happiness and community because as Ghandi said years ago..I can be the change I want to see..So I will be the change I want to see...And I will be change with my wordly community.
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