Falling In Love Isn't Easy // 4.08.15

View from a rooftop cafe in Jodhpur

Feeding my international travel bug has opened the part of my heart I've been burying under responsibilities. Under excuses and in the safe arms of stability. Forgetting that stability is only temporary. The last couple years were threaded with worry, sadness, anxiety, and heartbreak. But in India I've rediscovered my joy. In the faces of the children. In the swelling of my heart as I experience a new culture. In dancing the night away. In the reckless adventures that always come when my guard is down. In friendships that grow quickly yet deeply. Times of seriousness are essential, but not at the cost of suffocating a carefree spirit.

Ragpicker community in Delhi

Delhi has not been the easiest city for me to fall in love with, which is exactly what makes the joy authentic. Discovering the happiness amongst the frustrations staring you in the face. The traffic. The honking. Playing "where's Waldo" to find a trash can. The haze of dirtiness and pollution. The constant distrust of anyone selling anything. The economic and gender inequality impossible to ignore. Home is comfortable, but sometimes that comfort only leads to apathy. At the same time, I sit on my bed or at my desk and almost forget I'm living in India. Maybe it is the ability to stay connected via technology (when the wifi works!) or maybe the world feels smaller the more places travelled - the heightened ability to adapt. I haven't quite figured it out yet. But I do know the more cities I visit, the more I observe the humanness tying us together. Although at different levels, we all struggle with issues of power, love, and money. A fight to create our place.

Lodhi Gardens in Delhi

Despite India's seeming contradictions, it has stolen my heart. Slowly, just when I thought I was missing my snobby SF neighborhoods. Though many stereotypes hold true, and it can be exhausting when your "trustworthy" rickshaw driver stabs you in the back, I have met some of the most beautiful and caring people. There is never a shortage of lessons. The givers become the receivers.

To feel strong, learn to bargain and navigate the roads of delhi.
To feel gentle, pet and feed the abandoned puppies.
To feel kind, smile and listen to the stories behind others' eyes.
To feel beautiful, let a group of eager girls apply your eyeliner and lipstick.
To feel free-spirited, take a midnight rickshaw ride.
To feel rich, play and dance with the children.
To feel open-minded, try the new food that looks least appealing.
To feel loved, spend time with your travel community, locals and foreigners.

The world is wide open. We are begging to make connections. Connections feed the soul. Many may never realize the impact their connection made. Treasured moments to heal past hurts. Encouragement against life's negativities. Sometimes it takes people who don't know you to see you for exactly who you are. For exactly who you wish to be.

Best roommate

Best local guide/friend

Best travel group

Best partner in crime

Best other local guide/friend

Best people who work where I live

Traveling isn't about going somewhere exotic. It's about breaking the routine and seeing beyond the familiar. An openness to new experiences and often times that feeling of discomfort signals a need for change.

And I'm falling in love with the possibilities. The possibilities I can never plan in places I would never have chosen. The inspiration found within failed plans and broken hearts. The ability to accept my complexities. The person I was, the person I am, and the person I will be. Each life experience a love letter. To be reread tenderly and shared with those special people who take a moment to stop when our paths cross.


<3 Taylor