I am all for freedom of choice. I don't know any other world that didn't allow me the choices I have made in my long and often peaceful life. I like the way I live, its simple and uncomplicated. Whatever choices I have made and I continue to make are simple and serve the purpose of a common man with vey common interests.
I rarely get agitated, and if I do I let the agitator and people surrounding know quickly that I am, and leave the company of those who agitate me quickly. I don't really let anything I dislike be on my mind very long as I really don't worry about things that bother me.
I have had same friends from my childhood, and I miss them dearly as they are all scattered, and I rarely get to see them in person, but time and distance don't matter as I know they will always be there for me, to eternity. I have grown up being away from much of my family and friends, and I have lost and continue to loose elders in my family as I myself is one. Such is like, choices to where you live and how you live will also force you to choose the distances. It's alright as I know no one I care about will think of me any differently because of my life's choices.
The attachment to my ancestral home and town, and the attachment to my whole life away are often in sink and not in conflict. I still am a common man from small town in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, although I have spent little time in my birth place, it still is in my everyday life. I like the same people, same food, same thoughts, same everything, but I chose to live more than 10,000 miles away.
There is a Ram Mandir in my colony home town of Proddutur, AP, India. There is a Ram Mandir in Lemont, IL near my now living place. In fact along with my family I visited the HTGC Temple today. I saw my cousin and his wife, and a whole of members of my extended family at the temple which I have been associated for more than 2/3 of my life. It simply is my place and my temple and my people. I don't want to forget the best part of the visit is visiting the Temple Kitchen for Masala Dosa. There is no way to feel that I don't have my own people and community right where I live, they are here and they are there, they are everywhere.
After and during the visit to HTGC (www.htgc.org) and every time I do visit any temple around the area, it really takes me back to the initial days of life in around Chicago. Nothing has changed with all the Aunts and Uncles, Elder brothers and Sisters and people who have been a part of the community and my life; they are all the same. None of them are tiring in their dedication to serving, none of them have changed their attitude to giving and serving, they never look tired (even if they are they never show it) in serving fellow citizens, all with the same love and always support. The kindest thing you will hear is each of them checking on you and your family with utmost care and love. Not a single one of them changed in just about all my life, just no change. I really think GOOD and GOD go hand in hand, and in choosing my life and where it is I truly think there is no magic to life anywhere else, it is here. I truly hope it remains just like this for the rest of my life.
Although I never spent extended time with my Mom and my Grandma, they had the same care and affection to anyone they met. My community shows me the same. It is truly incredible that you might not see them often, but the few minutes you are with them, reflects the shared empathy to life and the care they pass on with the simplest of words.
I don't wish for anything to change. I am not even sure how anything would have been different if I chose to live elsewhere. It has been here and I am deeply attached to whatever it is. The choices have been simple and will continue to be simple as the community, people and family is all that can comfort you, and it is not too difficult to choose. Life is where you are and the choices you have made, good folks around you simply make it simpler.
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