Why to Get an Education

I was wandering around Sydney on a Sunday afternoon, and there were street performers and such all around. One was starting his show off, cracking whips over lit torches to sort of get attention and draw people in.
Standing a few rows back was a little boy watching the performance with rapt attention. He was probably about three years old, a little blond cutie. His Grama (I think) came up behind him and leaned over to give him some advice.

What she said was something along these lines, "If you don't go to school and get an education and then go on to get a good job, this is what you'll end up doing." she sounded absolutely horrified, as though that would be the worst possible outcome for his life. She just kept going on and on about it.
I don't think the kid was even paying attention. He kept leaning away as though she was annoying him, and he just wanted to pay attention to the street performer. Judging by the attention the kid was paying his Grama, and the attention he was paying the performer, I feel like he would prefer the option of becoming a street performer to that of getting an education and a 'good job'.
Really though, what makes a job good? Is it the amount of money you make, or is it the amount of joy you make? From what I've seen of street performers, they are happier than the average person in their average jobs. They may not make much, they depend on the tips that come from the people who watch their performances. But the money doesn't matter to them so much.
If I had a kid/grandkid/some kid I was giving advice to, I would tell them to get an education. I'd tell them to learn what they need to know to do the thing that makes them happy. Learn the 3 Rs as you need to in order to get by in life, but you don't need to get a degree unless it will help you be happy in your life. I would prefer to have the people I care about happy than to have them make heaps of money. Of course, if you can make money while doing what you like, that's always a bonus...  

How Much Less to Dwell in Me?

Sea waves crashing, horses running across a field, clouds roiling through the sky, an old forest without the sound of a single other person in it, a meteor shower. All of these have the effect of bringing me out of myself and making me feel like there is so much more than what is in this body. I exist in a deeper way than what anyone can see. Most people may see a tallish, kind of awkward girl, but there is so much more inside. Unlimited potential if you will.

To the reverse, crowds of people make me feel smaller than I am. Not every crowd. Crowds of students at camp, and things of that nature where I feel that I am doing something worthwhile are fine. But walking through a huge crowd in the city, I feel like I am collapsing inward, like I am becoming only what people see in me.
There's a Third Day song that says,
"All the heavens cannot hold you, Lord
How much less to dwell in me?
I can only make my one desire
Holding on to Thee."
When I see the wonders that God has done, the miracles of his creation, it reminds me of just how big He is. And then to understand that He wants to work through me...I can't even imagine how I could be worthy of that love and how He could even care who I am. But he made me, and he cares for me more than he does for the wonderful things of creation that completely blow my mind. That knowledge makes me understand that I am more than anyone sees, and I can do more than anyone else thinks.

 

The Worth of a Coke

Met a guy the other night. His name is Sam. He and his dog Ty are among the many homeless living in Sydney. I've seen them before, asleep outside the store where I go to buy supper sometimes. They were snuggled together the first time I saw them, the way Cosette and I usually sleep when we're together. Ty was snuggled up to Sam, and Sam had his arms around Ty. Both were fast asleep as though they were not at all bothered where they were sleeping, as long as they were together.
The second time I saw them, it was a cold, rainy night. Ty was eating his supper as I walked out of the store, and I noticed that Sam had several cans of food for Ty, but I didn't see anything for him. Though I suppose he could have been planning to eat dog food as well. I left the store, debating in my mind what I should do. I don't like giving money to beggars. I've had it too pounded into my head while in India that giving money to beggars is a bad thing to do.
I got almost to the top of the stairs and turned around. I needed to do something, I just wasn't sure what.
I went back and said hi to Sam and offered to get him something to eat. He looked up in surprise, like he couldn't believe that someone was actually talking to him. I offered that I could get him some food or something, and he told me he was ok, but would take a drink. He wasn't terribly picky, said a Coke or whatever would be fine.
I questioned then why I turned back. He obviously wasn't in desperate need of food if all he wanted was a Coke. A Coke cost more than I had spent on food all day. They're not exactly cheap here... but that was what he wanted. And I know how good a cold Coke can taste when you get a hankering for one. So, despite the fact that I typically count Coke (at least in Australia) a waste of money, I went back into the store and bought him a Coke.
It took me a while to get through the line. Had a nice little chat with the cashier about the hat I was wearing, and how great handmade items are. Brought a smile to her face, and brightened my day as well. I started to think that maybe Cokes weren't such a waste of money.  
I think that Sam figured I had snuck out of the store without buying him a drink. He looked pretty shocked when I walked up. He thanked me for the drink, and took a sip without meeting my eyes. He seemed shy, not rude, so I asked him his dog's name, thinking that may be an unthreatening topic. Sam's eyes lit up as he told me Ty's name and grew even brighter when I told him what a gorgeous dog he has. Just a small thing to say, but something that will brighten the day of anyone who loves their dog.
We didn't really talk beyond that. Sam was focused on his Coke, and didn't seem inclined to talk. I didn't want to push it, treating him as though he owed me something because I bought him a bottle of pop.
As I walked away though, Sam still had a smile on his face and seemed a little less burdened than he had when I first saw him. And that put a smile on my face as well.
So what was the cost of a bottle of Coke? Something like $3.80. What did it buy? A lovely conversation with a harried cashier, a chance for a few uplifting words to a homeless man, and smiles for all three of us. I'd say it was definitely worth it.
Just a thought... buy someone a drink (my Mom suggested this to me recently, I can't take all the credit), talk to someone about something simple in life. Just do something to bring a smile to someone's face. You never know what you'll affect.

Taking Myself for a Walk on the Beach

 So, I love to walk on the beach. The sound of the waves, the smell of the salt, the feel of the sand and water on my bare toes... really, it's something I've loved as long as I can remember.
But sometimes these walks don't go quite so smoothly as one might expect. See, I walk out onto the beach, and I say to myself, "Ok, I did some beachcombing yesterday. How about if I just go for a walk? Don't pick up shells, don't poke squishy things with sticks, just walk."
And I nod, seeming to agree, when really, I'm already looking for a stick I can use to poke that squishy thing by my foot.
In the spirit of being normal, I wander off to take pictures of the surf and clouds. It takes a lot of effort to walk away from that squishy thing, but I do it.
5 seconds and 3 pictures later, I'm kneeling next to something that could be a plant, or an animal, or part of an animal, debating how likely it is to be poisonous, and wondering if it's safe to poke with my finger since I can't find a stick. I gently remind myself that today, we are not on an expedition, we're on a walk.
Reluctantly, I get up and continue the walk.

This time, I manage about 20 seconds before a brightly coloured shell catches my eye. I scoop it up and put it in my bag.
"Leave it." I tell myself, "You already have one like that."
"No I don't," I mutter with a scowl, "I have 27 like this. I need this one."
I'm off again before I can sort out the logic (or lack thereof) in this reply, gleefully picking up shells and poking squishy things, all attempts at not beachcombing forgotten.
I sigh and shake my head, wondering what it must be like to walk on the beach like a normal person. There's a good chance I'll never know. But hey, I enjoy it, and really, that's the main reason for walking on the beach, right?

One of those squishy things that are all over the beach. 

P.S. I was typing this on my phone while walking on the beach, and finally had to stand still while toying, because it was taking forever. I kept distracting myself by running over to pick up a shell or poke something. It was a problem... and the worst of it is, there's no one to blame but myself.


I was in a bit of a goofy mood today...I feel like this is one of those social media posts that one does not want a potential employer to read...

 

Planning Ahead? Totally Overrated...

I’m not entirely certain how smart this trip to Australia was. Simply because it was sort of a spur of the moment thing. I mean, it wasn’t exactly a planned thing…I probably should have put some thought into it. I mean, it’s one of those things that a lot of people say they want to do, but they don’t actually do it. And I spent a couple of months debating where I actually wanted to go (stay in Asia, or go to Australia… those were pretty much the ideas in debate), then decided on Australia based more on the fact that I knew people in Oz who plan to move back to the States next year, so basically it’s a matter of decent timing.

At one point, a week or so before I left India, I sent a message to a friend, saying I’d be going to Australia, and did he have any suggestions for what I should see. He was amused by how casual I was about going to Australia, though really, I guess my thinking tended more toward the fact that I was leaving India (which I’m still amazed and surprised by even after all this time) to go to another western country. Not that I don’t like western countries, but it doesn’t feel like that big of a deal. So basically, I came to Australia with no plan aside from flying into Perth, spending some time with a friend there, and flying out of Sydney. In between, I had a bit over a month and a half to play with.

If you travel like most people, I am guessing this manner of travel would not even enter your mind. Unfortunately, the intelligent idea of thinking things through doesn’t always really occur to me. But for me, that’s ok. I’m (mostly) ok with not knowing what is coming up next. Oh, I have moments where I have a little meltdown, and rant for a few minutes about why I am stupid enough to not make plans. My Mom enjoys that part :~) After a little while though, I sit down and work out what my next step will be. Soon, things are sorted, and I am on my way again. The trip goes one step at a time, and I have a basic idea of what is happening, though beyond that, I’m not sure. I’ve just started to laugh when people ask me where I’m going next…

Favourites of the week 27/4-3/5

You often see a few cows or buffalo or whatever meandering down the street, but my favourite is when there is a whole big herd blocking everything. And they couldn’t care less if people are honking or trying to get around them. They take their own sweet time doing whatever they want to do at the speed they choose.

I was walking and saw a couple of pigs, then the more I looked, the more I saw. They blended in so well, and I was surprised to finally see just how big the herd was.

There were a lot of birds in this field, but most were smaller birds. This was the only bird of prey there. He sat there regally, as though surveying his kingdom. However, I wonder, when I see birds like this, do they feel lonely? Are they happy to be perched there on their own, or do they want a friend or a mate there? Are some creatures created for solitude? It might make life a lot easier.

All of this area was spotted with fires where people were burning rubbish. It filled the little valley with a haze of smoke. And then I saw this guy standing in the midst of it all, talking on his phone. He looked completely mellow, as though he wasn't surrounded by smoke and fires. I'm sure it was just sort of everyday life, but it was an impressive look.   



In a way, I was disgusted by the fact that this was actually a blanket of smoke from burning rubbish. Not exactly the thing that you want escaping into the sky. But sometimes, less than ideal situations can make for a really neat photo. I like the way the Moula Ali dargah is rising out of the smoke in the background.  



A political rally going through town. Everyone gets involved with it, and it's crazy hard to get anywhere. Fun to watch though. I stopped at a little shop for a cup of sugarcane juice, and watched the 'parade' go by for some time.

This guy was surprisingly friendly considering the twitch scar on his lips and various other scarring on his head. He kept wanting more attention and would whicker at me when I walked away. He is a full grown stallion, but acted like a foal when he had someone who was nice to him. Another example of a horse who doesn't seem to have many reasons to trust people, but does anyway.

A sweet little baby. It had been so long at this point since I was around horses, so to be able to spend some time with a foal was super fun. His Mom had a bit of an attitude though, and every time I went to pet this little one, the stallion in the next stall (see picture above) would try to call me back to give him attention.

Went out for a drive and discovered I wasn't terribly far from where I stayed while I was in B'lore last year. And it was a beautiful evening to boot.

Favourites of the week-20/4-26/4

 No matter how much I fly, I don’t think I’ll probably ever get to the point where I don’t care about the gorgeous cloud formations. When the clouds are like this, it looks as though one could walk across them without sinking through. It feels that you would find unicorns or dragons or any number of mysterious creatures in the crevices and spaces of the clouds. I know it doesn’t really work that way, but it doesn’t stop my imagination. Honestly, who knows what is in the sky?

 

 The night I got home from traveling, I found this little guy inside my mosquito net. It took quite some time to get him out, as he sort of panicked and ran all around the inside of the net. I was afraid I’d smoosh him.
Anyway, the lizards were definitely the best part of that flat.

 I was buying some fruit and happened to glance out the door to see this. So flipping cute, and right in the middle of town. Pretty sure the fruit seller thought I was nuts, because I stopped right in the middle of paying for the fruit, ran outside with my camera, and took a couple of pictures. There was no way I was going to pass up an opportunity to get this picture. Mini donkeys sure do seem better behaved here. But perhaps I just have the world’s most spoiled mini donkeys…

Right after I took this picture, the dog freaked out and tried to attack me. Fortunately, I wasn’t close enough that he could reach me, because I think he was genuinely ready to kill me.

Right place at the right time, and I thought the sun over the tower made it look like a candle. I like the way it lined up just right.

The background of a village built on rubbish behind an elderly man and elderly walls provides an interesting contrast. You’d think you could never find dignity in places such as this, but there is dignity, love, honour, etc., everywhere you go.

I quite like goats. And they photograph well. I’m not sure what this one was focused on, but it was incredibly still for a goat. They usually enjoy bouncing around.  

This pack of dogs was walking around as though they owned the place. I liked how it turned out with the dogs being the main focus of the picture, though I was originally taking a picture of the wall behind them.

Old walls with the modern town behind them. There is such a mix of old and new all throughout India. It is always intriguing to me. I wish I knew the history behind it.

Moula Ali Durga overlooking the city.  Some things crumble, some things remain standing. There’s no telling when you build/write/design/make something how long it will last, but what matters is the joy you take in making it in the first place. It is better to feel joy while making something that will last only 5 minutes rather than to be miserable making something which will last 500 years. This at least is my opinion.

This boy’s smile makes me smile. It is such a beautiful smile. He was right in the middle of the other boys there. There were several younger boys, who were innocent and silly. Then there was a handful of older boys, who were bordering on creepy. This one was right in between age-wise, but his smile shows him to be far more innocent without tending toward creepy.

I like sunsets. I love INDogs. Need I say more?

I’m not even sure how I saw this little toad. It was dark, there were no streetlights, but somehow I saw him. Maybe passing headlights. I like seeing things when I can’t work out how I managed to see them.