This week we stepped out, all of us literally and figuratively! The family invited me to visit a friend’s lychee farm close to the China border. An hour and a half out of the city and we were surrounded by nature, mountains, streams and fruit farms.
Shared an elaborate spread with the villagers and drank beer with some of the farmers who seemed delighted. I stepped out and made a sincere effort of getting to know the people.
I met a special child who due to some complications at birth had grown physically but the brain had not kept up, the most attractive little thing she was. We instantly connected, she kept seeking me out and I kept looking for ways to excuse myself from the others and spend time with her. Her mother cried when we saw how much we had bonded, she had led a rather difficult life and shared some stories with me. With a lump in my throat I excused myself, went for a walk found a lonely spot in the village and howled. I was overwhelmed by their simplicity; I was overwhelmed by how someone who had nothing could be so content? I was in awe of how happy the family was! I couldn’t understand why life must be the hardest on the nicest people? This incident also shook me up as it mocked a recent stand on how I wished to live my life, it was a bold, progressive but compassionate stand.
Overwhelmed and humbled again, I ended the week with some somber thoughts. Life will keep throwing stuff at you and you have absolutely no control over that; you do however have a choice of surrounding yourself with your own little army that will fight, dodge, deflect these obstacles with you, and love you.
