Today we had our last Thursday in India. By this time next week I’ll be home in Colorado, probably watching Netflix all night because of jet lag. And I chose to spend my last Thursday in India happily rolling around in mud and goat poop.
We had Maidan today with our kids from Future Hope. It had just rained, so initially, walking into the park, I was being incredibly dainty and graceful, being careful not to step into any mud and trying to get a video on my GoPro. As we approached our kids, we saw that they were all tackling each other and caked in mud; they were in the midst of a very extreme game of Sharks and Minnows. Without a second of hesitation, I dropped my camera and joined in.
I ran and slid on my butt, and violently threw mud at my kids, and had piggy-back races, and rolled around in some muddy goat/cow/questionable poop, and tackled a four year old. Every time I would think about restraining myself, our kids would flash us the cutest grin and call us over: “Auntie come play!” How can I say no to that? When would I ever get the chance to play so freely with them again?
(CLOSE TO TEARS CLOSE TO TEARS)
In that moment, I had so much love for my kids and for the fun that constituted as work. Playing with no restrain, no hesitation, no responsibilities, I felt like I was eight years old again, welcoming the dirt and the chaos. I may never get the smell of goat poop out of my shoes, but today was a day that I’ll remember and smile because it was such a pure happy memory.
Unrestrained play and spontaneous fun – that’s been my favorite thing about India. Though our days have been structured, no day has been exactly the same. I have memories from every single day, thrills from every single moment. Every time we leave the house, we’re confronted with adventure and surprise, and it’s up to us whether to embrace it. Today I did, full-heartedly so; and it was just the greatest day.
(TEARS STREAMING TEARS STREAMING)
I’ve come to India several times at this point, and every time I come, I leave a little bit changed and a little bit better. This time, I’ll come back home with shoes that smell faintly of manure, a diary full of happy days, and a taste for messy adventures.
s/o to KOLKATA for an amazing, unforgettable summer :’))