Bear Witness

I grew up in love with the woods. I would trek for hours and hours, losing myself along paths of sunlight streaming through lofty canopies of leaves. In those childhood adventures in the forests, I discovered all around me a symphony of sounds. The many cracks, chirps, water drops, and swirling wind: together they made up an orchestra of nature. Spellbound, I stood in amazement as the woods unveiled a new song just for me.

Had I not ventured forth, I would never have experienced the beauty of the forest’s song. This makes me think of the philosophical saying: "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" The reality of something taking place outside of observation is only hearsay unless someone bears witness to it. The tree falls. We would like to think that it makes a sound. But unless its descent is captured by an observer, the earth-trembling “ka-boom” shakes nothing.

The significance of life is truly captured when it is done so in a community. I am journeying forth on a six month adventure in India, and it is my desire to share that with a community of friends. In the same way that a song can only be appreciated if it is sung for others and a piece of art can only take the viewer’s breath when it has been unveiled, a journey can only find its ends when the traveler arrives home to share the experience with others. So as I embark, I hope to share the journey with you. Join me here to laugh with me at cultural blunders, smile at my traveling sagas, and share in the overall life-changing experiences I am bound to have in India.