So...

I mentioned in a previous post that one of the reasons I hadn't posted recently is that I have some things that I was trying to work out. Yeah, lots going on in my head these days.

It started with India...
We had such a great time in India. It is a country that I could see myself living in part time someday. Sure, it was hard and on days it was frustrating. I definitely wouldn't want to live there full time, mostly because of the corruption that is part and parcel of the government and the society there. Other than that, there is so much to love about it. I felt alive there. I felt connected to what is really important in our lives. In India, there is a focus on people - not on what label they are wearing. They are happy to meet you and want to help you or be a good host. They aren't afraid or so aloof that they can't say thank you when you hold a door open for them. At home, I have a lot of friends and family that I love but I feel like our society is so cushioned and spoiled that we forget or perhaps put the wrong emphasis on what is really important.
(Is this a complete picture of India? No, but it is what I am focusing on right now. There are so many sides of India to talk about but, as they say, that is a story for another day.)

So, I've made some decisions. I'm going to try to keep the perspective that I gained in India. I realized while I was there that although I am just one person, if I try to make a difference in what I do (even if it is just little things) that will make a difference in the big things.

• I don't want to buy clothing that is made in sweatshops. I used to buy a lot of Gap clothing but not anymore. I've gone in, but every time I look at one of their labels that says "Made in Cambodia" I think of some of the families and women we saw over in India who make a dollar a day. I guess I never had a face to put to the reality that I knew existed. I don't want to support that industry anymore. And I don't need 10 black tops at 9.99 each. I may buy less but I'll feel better about what I buy.
  
  
• I am being very careful to recycle and be as environmental as I can. We are lucky in Canada - we have unlimited access to information to be fully aware of issues such as global warming. Not everyone has that luxury. We shouldn't take it for granted - we need to take that information and use it to make the very best of this planet we have. We need to stop acting like this problem will fix itself. Being "too busy" to take the time to recycle or use energy-saving lightbulbs or other solutions just doesn't cut it anymore, for anyone.
  
  
• I will appreciate the freedoms we have and do what I can to keep the freedoms we have. This would lead me back to Net Neutrality. I think this may become one of my causes. I feel very strongly about it and would like to have the time to get the word out. I'm not sure how I am going to achieve this - ideas are brewing up in the noggin... if anyone has any great ideas, feel free to leave them in comments.
  
  
• I am going to try to be more accepting of differences in people because you don't know where they have been and what they have experienced. One of things I loved in India was the sense of community. I wish that is something we had more of here in Canada. There is a bit more trust of your neighbour in India. Maybe that is because your neighbour could very likely be a part of your family. :-) Never-the-less, I realized that we need to take better care of each other.
  
  
• I am looking into a non-denominational charity that does work over in India with the children and families who have nothing. Both Claude and I had a hell of a time saying no to the children. There is one little girl in Delhi whose face I will probably never be able to forget. The only way I could get through that trip without giving money out was to promise myself that when we got home we would do this. I also would like to, when our children are old enough, go over to India and volunteer for a couple of months. I would like to give something to a country that I would someday like to call a home.
  

Does all of this sound a little militant or a bit extreme? Maybe. I'm not going to start lecturing everyone on what they should do, but I realize that by doing these things I will be more true to who I am.

Anyway, I thought I would put this down on 'paper'. Maybe it makes it more real. Maybe it will help me sort through all the feelings and thoughts I came home with. I don't know. I just know I wanted to.