reflection

since i have precious time on my hands, i have been reading gandhi~s autobiography and patricia schultz~s 1000 places to see before you die, both of which are immeasurably inspiring and provoke self evaluation.

gandhi was a person in search of his guru, of perfection and undyingly committed to his values. he was a humble man, lover of children and a shy, studius, curious leader. his sense of responsibility to his values and his humility and constant search to find "god" makes me look at my own life and make sure i~m doing it right, which to me, means living for me and loving others in the process.

for me, god is what exists when i am all alone. so putting myself in the middle of nowhere without convenience, friends, or knowing the language, all compiles into a force that breeds creativity and reflection.

1000 places to see before you die is a book my best friend, jenny, got me before i went to brazil a few years ago. i have always flipped through it but now have the time to read its daunting 900 pages. the story of how patricia schultz arrived at her destination is all too familiar. she talks about having the travel bug at a young age, and how travel yields a different experience for each person, most of which is internal. she quotes mark twain who said travel is "fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness", and i can~t agree more. this classroom without walls is a book with no end.