An English Journey

I soothe myself by having a warm and mind-refreshing bath. Far from agitation and disturbance , far from annoyances and other niggling thoughts, I do my own thing. Sometimes, especially in the past, I would feel as if I was an alien. Not now, not today, maybe not even anymore. I allow myself to take a deep breath, to exhale profoundly, to wander. All our senses are interlaced , tangled as a stiff and attracting spider web. However, I guess I would not be able to stand a hearing loss. I can now close my eyes, a skilful classical piece of music could do the trick when needed. This one is Beethoven’s Kreutzer Sonata, a masterpiece written for violin and piano. The A tonality is unable to unveil the minor character except for when it is essentially unavoidable , creating an increasing drama in each turn and twist.  A first movement full of energy and tragedy provokes the soul, awakening any hibernating creature. Then comes the energetic and invigorating se...

Since the very instant we arrived at New Delhi’s airport I was overwhelmed with mixed feelings . I was fascinated by the display of hospitality so characteristic of these dwellers but at the same time, I knew I would have run into shocking scenes.   We were going to leave the hotel at the crack of dawn . I am not a morning person but that night I did not sleep a wink and decided to wander around the area. A flood of rickshaws ready to be pulled by skinny riders was the first reminder of how different life must be in India.  Being a child is not the same everywhere. My holiday in India, one of the biggest countries in the world, taught me a lesson . The harsh lifestyle that these human beings have to overcome every minute of their lives is miserable . Living in such conditions could undermine anyone. Astonishingly enough, I have not seen so many children grinning from ear to ear in my whole life as I did in India. They probably have nothing bu...