At home, I always think that I am too active, having too little time for solitude and meditation. Here I have been continually aware that I never achieve a balance either. At least I have had both extremes. When I am traveling or in the cities, I am thrown into a whirlwind of activity, yet away from the world I get so much solitude that I begin feeling useless. I keep thinking, wouldn’t it be great to have a life with a little of both? Actually, that desire was the impetus for this trip.

My journey has touched many realities of time. . . physical as well as mental. I have seen people living in simple thatched-roof huts and been in modern high-rises in Bombay. I cannot believe I have been here for three years. Time has passed so fast. On the other hand, it seems as if I have been here forever. Time is such a strange measuring stick for our experiences. Mental time never seems to align with clock time. If we have a lot to do, an hour passes too fast; if we have nothing to do, that same hour can drive us to distraction. So the number of events has to do with our mental time. Of course when we sleep we totally lose our awareness of time. Since there are no events, mental or physical, there is no time. That must be why a quiet meditation of an hour, sometimes seems like ten minutes.

I have just finished my last retreat with Shankar as I had committed to do. Preparing myself mentally and physically for my return to U.S., I stayed in Madras to make the arrangements for my flight. Each evening I sit out on the verandah alone to watch as the stars emerge one by one out of the fading blue sky. What a treat have the leisure to sit out and watch this spectacle, I express my gratitude daily. In the still quiet atmosphere, my mind feels vibrant and alert from all my varied experiences.

Not that I am actually thinking anything. While the potential is there, my mind seems content to remain silent and alert. Secretly, I am watching and waiting for the first signs of the migrating birds. This is my favorite time on the Bay of Bengal coast. Somehow, the spring bird migration happens overnight; however, at autumn time, the spectacular flights spread out over a couple of weeks.

As the birds begin to fly by, I become fascinated noticing how each species has its own flight pattern. The perfect spot to watch the white cranes is on the roof of the home where I am staying, for they always fly about a city block inland. Most often, I see them in the early morning hours; occasionally, in the late evening, just before dark. One morning while I am sitting out with a cup of tea, a few snowy white egrets fly over. Before I know it a huge flock has extended over the sky. Their ivory wings spread wide seem to fill up the whole blue space. I am totally mesmerized as I behold them soaring overhead. Suddenly, the whole panorama becomes surreal and I forget where I am. The scene could be happening anywhere on the planet, or just in my mind.

In the evenings, I walk along the sea to watch the undulating panoramas of a variety of birds in flight. One group flies high over the edge of the sea; others fly about fifty feet out to sea and appear to skim above the waves. Another species of smaller birds wing their way hovering only ten feet from the shore line. I am filled with delight at watching this incredible sight. Each group is so bountiful that the birds are strung out for what seems like miles. Sometimes it takes five to ten minutes for an individual flock to pass by.

Where do these tiny creatures get the intelligence to know when and where to fly? What wonderful natural intelligence they possess. Scientists continue to tag them and wire them to figure out how they do it, but the real miracle is that they do it.

The cycles of nature come and go on perfectly no matter what I am doing—or not-doing. Each morning as I sit on the verandah watching the white cranes pass over my head, I feel content. As I behold wave after wave of these beautiful birds flying across the bright sapphire sky, I feel that the world is complete. Maybe this is what my journey was about: Just experiencing perfect moments of contentment and peace.

My journey has been a process of stripping my mental layers to see what I can discover. Certainly, I peeled sufficiently to reveal my connection with nature. I am so grateful that I had the time to do so. I have experienced more of a me that I like: one who thinks for herself—I think I will keep that one.

I have had the time to live and breath. I have known incredible moments here. I do give dear Bharata and the Bharatis credit. Truly, India is the home of my heart. Has it made a difference? Does it have meaning for others? Will I be able to share the love I have touched in a hundred small and subtle ways?

          I’ve touched the pristine earth,
          Listened to a bird’s song,
          Smelled the sweetest jasmine,
          Beheld a tiny sunbird bathing in a dew drop,
          Marveled at a galaxy swirling in the face of a flower.

          I’ve wrapped myself in cool silence of a starry night,
          Watched a thousand stars bow to a rising sun.
          Glided on the wings of an eagle across a crimson sea,
          Inhaled the vibrant forest air,
          Listened to the gurgle of a mountain stream.

          Will I ever find a way to tell you
          That this planet is a magnificent gem,
          A crown jewel of god,
          And so are you.