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l India does wonderful, gigantic billboards, most of them hand painted by men auch as these on bamboo scaffolding. I
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i crete bridge that sheltered a large side- something we set out to have when we How about just getting wet? n
walk. This sidewalk area had become arrived; it is simply the way India’s so- There are a lot of ‘what ifs.’ What if d
j home to a number of families. When I ciety is structured. Many, many people we weren’t wired with computers, cell ti
j first saw everyone under the bridge support a few. But who really is stron- phones, and pagers? Wouldn’t the quiet h
sleeping, eating or just sitting, I could ger? The few on the top of the struc- be rather wonderful? What if we didn’t
only see one more sad story of India. ture or the many who hold up the few? have lights? Perhaps we would go to ri
However, the more often we drove by, In time I came to understand that sleep with the moon and rise with the tl
the more apparent it became to me that all of these people were really not sun. What would it be like to wake in u
A these people weren’t all that miserable. "serving" me. That is their job — laun— the morning without a bed, brewed cof— f1
A Babies mapped on a thin blanket or just dress, cook, driver, bearer, etc. — and fee, hot shower, newspaper, or table to b
the concrete. Mothers chatted or pre- they take pride in performing their job sit at while we eat our breakfast? Would ti
l pared dinner with a makeshift fire. to the best of their ability, not in trying we smile if we found ourselves without
A Children played games and wash was to please me even if that’s a result of any of these luxuries tomorrow? S
Y hung to dry. There were smiles and a their work. When we venture outside and there W
- sense of community among them. I Before this trip. I had never realized is a mud puddle, is it really so bad to l"
wondered if I could look half so con- how insulated, pampered, and "high step in it? Does a muddy shoe really de- 8*
tent. or make do half as well, in the cir- maintenance" we become while living fine our character? What does a muddy H
cumstances they were in. The answer in a ‘developed’ country. And, most foot say other than we don’t have shoes
was no. surprising to me, is how very much that and it’s been raining? ·l
To illustrate. while we were in India limits us. Maybe if we were more con- I don’t want any children to have to
" we had a net of support that was em- scious of the natural world surround- beg for food or whole families to live in
l barrassing. There were drivers. bearers, ing us — and how we fit into that the streets like sometimes happens in
L cooks. waiters. launderers. butlers. organic world — we could sit down what we refer to as ‘third world’ coun-
¢ sweepers. and gardeners. It took all when and where we wanted without tries. Many of us are very blessed to be
‘ those people for us to maintain the benefit of chair or cushion. How liber- living in nations that provide so many
I level of comfort that we were used to ating that could be! What if it does rain opportunities and comforts. Like many
P back home. All of this support isn`t — do we really have to be protected? Americans, I do like my comforts! Yet
A 18 KENTUCKY Atuivmus
i