Posted: Aug 19, 08 6:46am
25+ years ago I married a man from India, my soul mate. Knowing him has opened doors and worlds that a small town American girl would never have known. We have been fortunate to travel to many countries (still not as many as we'd like), but my heart has been captured by India. Country side, rural village, "small" town, large city - they each have a charm of their own which continues to draw me back.
It has long been my dream that we would retire to India - the beauty, the slower pace of life, the remnants of pre-Raj India living side by side with the influx of the West. It was always my husband who would say "No, it would be too far from the children, and too hard for us to visit them and vice versa". Now, as our daughters are becoming young adults and starting their own lives...and the prospect of grandchildren looms nearer in the future :) ...even I must concede that India is too far away.
Yet, I am homesick for India, a place that has never physically been home. Even as I write this there is a lump in my throat, tears being blinked back, and an aching, a longing to be there. To feel the heat, to hear the sounds, to smell the odors, to walk the streets, to taste the food.
My favorite place? Probably in the desert area of Haryana or Rajasthan. Of course, nothing beats the Taj Mahal for absolute beauty. Or Kerala for it's greenery, cleanliness, and relaxing waterways.
Unfortunately, all of our pictures are on my husband's computer, so I'll have to post pictures later.
Anyone else love India? I'd love to hear about your experiences.
