So I am back home now in the snowy state of Rhode Island. I can't help but wonder if everything I just experienced was a dream. It is odd being back home after more than 17 days away...I feel restless, out of sorts. Why is the landscape here so white, so silent? I miss the color, noise, vibrancy and excitement of India. I am struggling to get back into my life here, my daily routine. Will this feeling pass? How do you come down after a vacation like that? Do your feet ever float back down to the ground?
Just as I was pondering this, an email popped up from a list serve that I belong to and there was this perfect quote:
"Patience asks us to live the moment to the fullest, to be completely present to the moment, to taste the here and now, to be where we are. When we are impatient we try to get away from where we are. We behave as if the real thing will happen tomorrow, later and somewhere else. Let's be patient and trust that the treasure we look for is hidden in the ground on which we stand." -
Henri Nouwen, renowned priest, author, professor and pastor
So today's challenge to myself is to stay present, to live in
this moment, to be grateful for
this day, and to try not to drift back to India, except to reflect on the wonderful memories of our trip, and be thankful for that once-in-a-lifetime experience.
But I ask you...what are your tricks for getting back to reality after the holidays, or after an extra special vacation? How do you cope?
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I had no idea that you lived in Rhode Island! Me too! That's really fun. I just got back home yesterday after a 2 week vacation visiting family, but I was in Maryland, not India, so I can imagine your adaptation to home being much different than mine. Welcome home! I've enjoyed reading all about your adventures and seeing your beautiful pictures!
Wow, what a wonderful quote! Thank you for sharing. For me I always feel restless, as if I am never quite where I should be. I am constantly searching for 'that' place. That place where I should be. But the quote is right - 'we behave as if the real thing will happen tomorrow...' when really, every day is where we should be. Tomorrow might lead to another... different day, but that's tomorrow and today is where we are NOW.
So, what do I do? I do as you do and despite sometimes not always feeling like tasting every moment fully - I try to. Like just now I stood in the kitchen, my apron still dusty with flour and I devoured a bun straight from the oven and dripping with homemade lemon curd. It felt pretty good to be in this moment ;-)
I am sure you will settle down slowly from your wonderful trip, but may the colours of India decorate your mind for many years to come :-)
i do a little photo essay of my neighborhood whenever i'm feeling that way. it makes me think of all the little pieces of beauty i'm surrounded by and gets me out and walking:)
I've been through that "reverse culture shock" before too...I usually can adjust back more smoothly by talking about the trip with friends. Also, allowing myself time to think, whether while sewing, gardening, walking, etc. I take a while to process and debrief after being overseas. I went through that same "was that real or a dream?" kind of feeling after returning from Egypt last fall - and that trip was only a week long! Isn't it great to get to see parts of the world that to so many only exist on tv or in books. Travel is one of the things my husband and I live for!
Your blog is incredibly beautiful and your photography outstanding. I came here by chance after looking for an image for CHAI. What wonderful surprises the web can expose at times. I love gardening and travel and by default, I guess I'm a native New Englander... at least this year for the holiday. Thanks and keep up the great work!
Christine,
My, what an adventure. I have been soaking up your delicious words and photos since my return home after the holidays. I thought going to mexico and almost losing all my knitting needles was a challenge. But, the beauty that you seem to have embodied is worth every moment, or it will be when the laundry is done and you are rested. By the way, you were breath-taking at your wedding ceremony. wow. And, welcome home my dear!
Fabulous quote. I added it to my journal and need to read it often. It has always been hard for me to get back to reality whether it be a vacation or the holidays. It seems I always want to be some place else. The thing that works for me is to never take myself seriously. That's easier said than done, but being around people who make me laugh, does make life seem more fun.