Today at Prem Dan during chai time I visited one of my favorite friends. She is an old woman with gentle wrinkled hands that like to be wrapped around my fingers. I make sure that I go and visit her at least once during my morning serving. As I walked over to her area today for a second time I noticed that she was cheering a friend of hers who was sitting across the room from her. The two were raising their cups of chai to the other and nodding in agreement. It was the most beautiful example of friendship even in a place that can be very stressful at times for these women. I have had the chance to witness a few exchanges just like this between old friends at Prem Dan over the past week. It reminds me how important friendships are and how they can even brighten an unfavorable situation. I make sure every day that I go and visit her and get her to smile her wide gummy smile. I recently have begun talking to her more even though we can't understand one another. It's the simple things like a smile or holding hands that can say so much more in the absence of words.I value my mornings with these women at Prem Dan as they constantly inspire me to pursue my passion. Their strength and welcoming loving nature should be shared with the world and I hope to do that even in the smallest ways.
Much love, Beth.
Much love, Beth.
Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteHi Beth!!! Glad to hear that you're enjoying your trip. I am so envious that I'm not there right now....I miss Kolkata every day. I was on the trip last year and I served at Prem Dan as well! Is there a young woman named Pooja still at Prem Dan? I must know! Can you find out? She is very young and very thin-she can't walk or talk, and most of the time she doesn't have much control over her facial expression, but every now and then she smiles, and it is the biggest, most beautiful smile I have ever seen in my life. She has huge brown eyes and I still think about her every day....have you seen her?
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