The Importance of Gratitude...

My latest trip to India was a humbling experience. Although this was not my first trip to India, every previous trips always made me appreciate and be thankful for what I have in my life.

However, unlike my previous trips to India, this was different altogether. I made a mini tour of South India, visiting places like Bangalore, Mysore, Otty, Kodaikanal and Chennai (Yes, the same place which was hit by the tsunami lately).

Otty and Kodaikanal are actually on hilltops so the weather there were indeed cold. It felt like I was living in the clouds...the feeling was wonderful and unique.

Places like Bangalore and Chennai are town areas and near sea-level so these were not as cold. You could feel the warmth of the sun but yet you will still feel cool enough to wear a jacket.

In each of these places, it is very humbling to see the poverty and chaos, but at the same time, life for them goes on despite all their difficulties. Here, we complain about almost everything, despite having almost everything.

For instance, the road conditions are chaotic. Despite traffic signals and all, there is utmost chaos on the roads...people walk as if it was 'their' road...vehicles horn and drive as and where they want to, but yet in this chaos, there is order within itself...certain procedures exist within the roads which are always followed.

The public transport is another...to board a bus, it is a race against time cos before the last person even boards the bus, the bus starts to move...this applies to those getting off the bus too.

In addition, it is always good to meet up with relatives whom I have not seen since 6 yrs back. To sum it up, this trip was indeed a humbling and refreshing one. However, as a consequence of eating too much ice-cream (very rich and creamy....not the watery type) in India, I have a very bad cold now....it seems my nose if plugged close....sigh...