Family....

I have found that family, not just the biological sort, is more important then anything else. I am so lucky to have so many people to fall back on - either at the barn, school, Maine, and now the VIS group. It makes it a little easier that I can call anyone of those people and know that they will be there no matter what. And it makes me feel good to know that when something happens I will be there for them, no matter what.

I will always remember the day my mom fell, the shock that I felt yet again and the intense worry. Taking a shower that night, hoping to cleanse myself of the day's horrors, I found myself collapsed on the ground, hysterically crying. That was the first time I felt alone, only a little alone but still alone. i knew that as soon as I left the shower I could text friends for comfort but in that moment my fear and confusion was all I could focus on. I couldn't grasp the immensity of the fall and I don't know that I will ever understand all the "what ifs" or how the ultimate outcome was so incredibly lucky.

Eventually I pulled myself off the shower floor and put myself together just enough to run up to my room. Lying in bed, my iPod attempting to lull me to sleep, I fell back into hysterics, seeing just clearly enough to grasp my phone. Unnerved by my mom's halo and its boxy contraption that didn't condone hugs I texted my friends my worries, my frantic thoughts. I will always remembers Rachael's text back to me, "Think about how good that hug will feel when she can finally hug you again." I repeated that again and again in the coming months, as I hoped desperately that it would come off before I left for India.

And let me tell you, that hug in January, almost 31/2 months later felt AMAZING! It was still a little bulky with the neck collar but it was the hug that I had been waiting for. And now, I cannot wait to hug her again in the airport, with NO collar on!

I am so thankful for all the networks that I have to fall back on. I will be forever grateful for all of my family's friends that helped in the days after my mom's fall. For all my parents' friends who drove us around, cooked us dinner, constantly called or emailed to checked in or even sent flowers. My friends - the best in the world - comforted me, always ready for hug, looking for the next update. There attempts at distracting me, taking me out dinner or a soccer game, might not have worked but I am so thankful that they were there.

And so for these reasons I cannot wait to go home - to hug my mom again, see friends, talk to my family in the same room (not over Skype). But in so many ways I feel like I have family here - my home stay families in Ursi or Shey or the SECMOLpas who are some of my new best friends. I am learning that family is not biological but also located across the world. I might not be able to lean on my Ladakhi family when I am at home but I know that when I come back to Ladakh (which I will) I will always be greeted with open arms.


I began reflecting on community and support because it is such a part of life here. In America we have so much to learn about bigger communities and networks - more then my friends and family friends but about the community of E.G. or R.I. or even all of America. We can accomplish so much when united - I have seen it happen most in times of sadness or tragedy but why can't we apply it to "good" events too? Why can't we support each other and help the environment, education, or other countries? There is no reason why we can't.