Greetings Everyone!
Today’s post is written in the new modern memoir style. Read it slowly, and immerse yourself in the experience.
Notice that the new modern memoir style doesn’t minimize or gloss over feelings but uses our senses to bring us fully present in the experience. The overall emphasis is on the outcome - what wisdom came as a result of the experience…
Travel Insights
The greatest lessons I have learned through looking in the rear view mirror of my life, came from travel outside the USA. As I journeyed through life, I had been greatly catalyzed by the deeper questions that haunted me when I was troubled, Why did this happen to me? How come thoughts keep swirling around relentlessly, keeping me awake at night? When will I find someone who “gets me”, the real me, and loves me for my truth? What is it that aches inside, preventing me from feeling true happiness? Who can I turn to for comfort and answers when no-one else is around?
These questions that had clothed me for so long, were to pale in significance during a rough, revealing, trip to India, Nepal and the sacred monasteries of Tibet. The emancipation of those persistent questions happened one mind-blowing afternoon as twelve of us, on pilgrimage, walked full-hearted from the stillness of a steep-hilled monastery down into Kathmandu town. That walk rocked my virgin naïveté and dissolved my superfluous egoic questions into oblivion.
Ironically we had just left the buddhist monastery where we had received mind-altering precious teachings from a highly-realized Tibetan lama on The Nature of Suffering. Holding the arm of my friend from England we stabilized as we negotiated the treacherous unstable dirt-path, lined with gullies for the routine natural deposit of humans’ waste. I could taste the pungent environment in my freshly-minted mouth as I watched women with long black hair gently gather it up and wrap the silky strands around their arms, as they lifted their hand-dyed saris as they squatted, so as not to soil or dampen the elegance of their cultural dress. Blasting sounds of traffic too close, squabbling market traders, rhythmic ding dings of metal bells as traditional prayer wheels turn, releasing millions of modern microfiche prayers to the wind, while aromas of unidentifiable spices tantalize the mounting mystery of a third-world country.
The distinct smell of people needing running water for good hygiene, combined with the odor of malnourished animals, overshadowed the toxic lead gas fumes hanging low in clouds of grey. The smooth touch of silks could be felt through admiring eyes with the crystal clear multi-colored vibrancy of a fresh glistening rainbow. Finely-woven woolen pashminas sang their unique songs from tiny shops whose walls were lined with the backs of people buying. The calming sights of red and gold sacred-imbued thangka paintings brought reverent bowing heads together in prayer.
As we rounded a corner, culture-shocked, the ebony-eyed children with filth for shoes and proudly wearing too-small weather-shredded designer shirts, crowded toward my red camera. While capturing their pictures, sparkling eyes of laughter beam an unbroken spirit like I have never seen in the west, or could comprehend would be so alive in this conflicting environment. My joy is ignited by the bright smile of a full moon on the faces of these kids. As I reflect upon this timeless travel moment, branded in my mind-stream, the new burning question for my life has become, What IS this human spirit we all share that illuminates and vitalizes us, no matter what circumstances we are born into?
Anya Sophia Mann
If you enjoyed this memoir hit the share button below and invite others to join our growing community.
I really appreciate your comments. We learn from each other. Your comments contribute to our community conversation - take a moment now and comment on today’s post…
Do you want to write in the new modern memoir style? The six-week Meaningful Memoir course runs four times a year. For current course information and dates add your name and email address to the course mailing list.
Thank you! Your beautiful descriptive words allowed me to travel with you, seeing,smelling,feeling and questioning .