Departure

Four beauties lie on the floor. Two black. Two blue.

Square with bulges. Filled with the stuff of dreams.

Our suitcases wait silently - as the family sleeps.

Tomorrow is nigh upon us - 4 minutes away.

The long-hoped for day will tick into being. 13th of May. D-day.

We are leaving on a speeding train. Boarding at Borivali we will whiz north to Delhi.

Tickets checked. Money stored away. Milk and newspaper-wallahs informed of our 2 week departure.

A small mountain of work still lurks between here and our leaving - for the mountains that we desire.

But this too will pass. We are now counting hours - soon this will bleed into minutes - rushing towards the 4 PM taxi arrival that will start our trip to Mussoorie.

The road goes ever on and on
Down from the step where it began
Now far ahead the road has gone
And I must follow if I can
Pursuing it with eager feet
Until it meets some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet
And whither then?
I cannot say

Well - I know where our road leads us (D.v. of course). From here to Delhi on tomorrow's Rajdhani Express where we will be cramming in as many meetings with dear ones as we can in the 48 (apparently roasting) hours that we have there.

Picking up Asha and Enoch's cousing Joanna, we then aim to get the night train that leave Delhi Sunday 23.55 to Dehra Dun - and a taxi jaunt out to the Herbertpur Christian Hospital where lots of remarkable folks are - not the least our amazing Dr. Cherring Tenzing.

We plan to spend 2 days in Herbertpur - and then along with Stefan, Neeru, Ashish and Anjali - we should be winding up the roads to the blessed coolness of Mussoorie on Tuesday evening. And the welcoming hugs of Mum and Dad at Shanti Kunj. And 10 days stuffed with silence and laughter, reading and hiking, conversations and meditations and silly hats and and and....

Pinch me! Its finally happening!

So grateful for God's mercy in our lives.