Varanassi!

Excuse me for my absence, so much to write about and so little time. From January 18-29th I was in Vipassana meditation retreat. It was meditation boot camp, awake at 4:00 AM and 10 hours of meditation each day... Maybe I'll write about it later, but events seem to be passing me by much faster than I can write about them.
Yesterday I was sitting along the Ghats writing, I think that it came out nicely so here it goes.
I am poised between the serene calm of the baba (Hindu Holy man) sweeping the small temple to my left and the crazyness that pervades all of India. Hopefully none of the kids with flowers (for prayers in the Ganges River), postcards or sad hungry faces will attempt the climb to my perch. Dusk is falling on the sacred Ganga, the activities of the day wane with the setting sun. No longer do the Dhobi wallas beat the clothes on the stones and nothing is left out to dry. Now, it is the dominion of games, kite flying, cricket and other ball and stick games, not mentioning marbles and kids rolling hoops. Work is done and it is time to play. The serious cricket games overtake everything and errant balls upset evening walkers.
Babeshanan, who is a Bramechari, not a Baba, likes the U.S. We exchanged a few words as he was sweeping towards me. Like so many Indians there is no bad report for the country that has set the gold standard for India's dreams. Little do they know that their country is what should be an example to the world. No where else do tolerance, co-existance, compassion and kindness have so much meaning. Here all religions and people have a place, no matter how small. The co-existance between humans and animals is unbelievable.
Nothing is hidden here, no veil to pull back. The cadaver has been laid open for all to see. I'm in the background, an observer to the daily play that dances away across this wonderous city. The lepers and beggars sharing the streets with the animals, countless puppies, and huge water buffalo are the most apparent. Even though I can see the cadaver from afar I can't speak with it and hear it's story. That is why it's important for me to stay here, and to learn Hindi. This country has so much depth, and multitudes of facets. I must break through the thin Ice that I've been walking on and plunge into India, as it is for the millions upon millions of people who eek their lives from this absurd place. I heard that for 500 governmental positions there are 200,000 applicants... that's competition.
If something exists in this world, it exists here more likely than not. Everyday I see something that suprises me. Like shovels for two people, there is no shortage of human labor. We are also not so far from the days when it was kings and queens walking these ghats, not tourists. And here fantastic stories are truth. As my friend said recently, "India is more of a state of mind than a country."

I'm going to plug along and keep on writing, any responses are highly appreciated so I know your reading my blog :D