Santhosh's ramblings

Martin Luther King Jr.   “ Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” “I have decided to stick to love...Hate is too great a burden to bear.” “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” “Faith is taking the first step even when you can't see the whole staircase.” “If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” “But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.”   “Let no man pull you so low as to hate him”   “There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor  popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.”   “Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupid...

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...