Santhosh's ramblings

A wise man had told us that something would happen in a few days’ time, and we should not resist it. As he predicted, it happened. He shared this insight with us at the end of a 6-day long trek to the Mardi Himal viewpoint in Nepal, a journey of over 75,000 steps to an elevation of 15,000 feet, accompanied by family and friends.  About 5 days after the trek, I can feel that something has shifted internally. I cannot quite pinpoint it, but I know it's there. These are my personal reflections, attempting to understand what this shift might entail. It may gain more clarity tomorrow, but for now, this is my clouded view of what has changed. Journey with a Desire but Rest in the Shadows Maintain a desire to see the majestic mountains in all their beauty, but also learn to rest internally as shadows may obscure the mountains. Understand that in life, you may often encounter clouds and misty mountains instead of clear peaks, and that's okay. Keep walking with a sense of internal peace

Day 1 - Grateful for the Journey   I am grateful for today’s journey from Pokhara to Pritam Deurali.   The journey from Pokhara to Kande by jeep and the journey of the first day was a journey of gratitude. Gratitude for the fellowship of the trek, a trans-generational community. From the Alpha generation to Baby boomers, with Alpha Gen and Gen Z leading the pack. Stopping every now and then to allow everyone to catch up and journey together. Accomplished trekkers, novices, and children whose energy was infectious.   Encouraging each other to see beyond the clouds that covered the mountains. A journey of faith, reminding each other that we will see mountains soon when rain clears the clouds. Hope that gives faith and courage to take the next step.   Stopping in between to see the big picture map, to recapture the long journey we have embarked on. A journey of a thousand miles starts with one step. One day at a time, we will keep moving towards the Mardi viewpoint over the next five days

Visiting the “Genocide Museum” at Kigali was sobering. The pain the nation, communities, families, and individuals went through, and the millions murdered was beyond comprehension.   Seeing the museum, with all the pictures and videos of atrocities perpetuated by one community against their own brothers and sisters was disturbing and confusing. How can brothers and sisters kill their own?  But then this is true of many nations, including my own.  What encouraged us was – the national leaders had the vision to put the brokenness of their own nation, out there in the public as reminder for upcoming generations. Yes, the past is painful, but it must be openly communicated so that we can learn from our mistakes and not end up doing it again.  But then, many other nations too have created such memorials. Cambodia, Holocaust museums, Bosnia, and such others. Friends who have visited these locations told us, all these have something in common. These nations had the courage to put the inconven

Sixty-five nations around the world are currently in a familiar season that recurs every 4 or 5 years. These periods are characterized by distinct patterns, which can be summarized as the ABCD season. A – Assassination: During this time, assassins metaphorically roam about seeking ways to assassinate people's credibility and character, particularly those from opposing camps. The powers in authority utilize all means to achieve this, while those without power often voice their concerns, hoping to be heard. Fake news and media manipulation are rampant, aiming to sway the masses through distorted information.   B – Benevolence: Every leader portrays themselves as benevolent, showing care and compassion, especially towards the less fortunate or those whose allegiance they seek. Stories of their sacrifices for community betterment abound, and there's a noticeable flow of funds in various directions.   C – Confusion: The general populace and communities become understandably confused

A casual conversation with a car driver and a friend in his early 50’s.   “Saahbji, a few years back when some baby is born or a marriage occurs or something like that happens in my extended family and friends, we will go with a small present (We do not have much) but spend time with them. Today, I do a video call and pass some money by G pay and tell them, but a present for the child or whoever it is”.   “I have only one sister and she stay in the same city. Earlier I would go and meet them at least two or three times a month, take some food or chocolates for her children. We still have a good relationship, but in the last one year we haven’t met face to face. We have video calls and I pass some money to her to buy chocolate for their children”.   “There was time when I used to look forward for the board meetings of our organization. All the members will drive and come, and while the meeting is going on, we drivers have a great time together, and we became close friends, even our fami

I learnt a new phrase today (or rather coined). “Audacious Audacity”. It is like “double whammy” – a situation in which two bad conditions exist at the same time or two bad things happen one after the other.  But amid this, people have the audacity to have an audacious belief that things will work out fine!    There is a beautiful story in the Good Book. A meeting between a prophet and a widow. It goes like this… "Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land". “So the Prophet got up and went to Zarephath. As he came to the entrance of the village he met a woman, a widow, gathering firewood. He asked her, “Please, would you bring me a little water in a jug? I need a drink.” As she went to get it, he called out, “And while you’re at it, would you bring me something to eat?    She said, “I swear, as surely as your   God   lives, I don’t have so much as a biscuit. I have a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a bottle; you found me scratc