On the streets of Chennai for my second day
On the streets of Chennai for my second day
to see my photos from this trip go to
https://wanderingalan.smugmug.com/organize/2001WorldTrip/2001Chennai
When I began writing these "Wandering Alan" messages I
decided that I would share positive experiences and
let the others become learnings for me to digest later
and perhaps share once I had completed my trip.
My goal was to live for 10 1/2 weeks by the philosophy
that my humor/CPSI friend Joel Goodman promotes...
"If we can say 'we'll laugh about this some time
later' Why not start now!"
So when I have experienced stressful, frustrating, sad
things I have attempted to focus on the humor
(present, past or potential) in the situation to help
me deal with it in the present. Or I have focused on
what can/might I learn from this or use in a "future
speech or program".
Boy do I have a load of material to last a life time.
On the streets of Chennai yesterday I saw, felt,
experienced....
-smiles from bellmen, doormen, police officers,
security people, military officers, shopkeepers,
motorized rickshaw drivers, people passing me on the
street
-waves from the same and more
-laughter in every corner amongst what else was
happening
-friends enjoying each other's company
-beauty in faces of young and old
-lovers walking hand in hand, sitting in parks,
enjoying their Saturday of free time
-school children touring zoos, parks, museums in their
uniforms with smiles as big as Mt. Everest
-humor among people on the street
-humor in cartoon books by R. K. Laxman, Indian
editorial cartoonist
-hardwork everywhere I turned, nearly every third
building or house is being worked on
-creativity and innovation in so many ways along the
streets and in the shops
-persistance of masons and general workers whether
building walls or digging trenches throughout Chennai
for the new 'cable system' that will connect them more
to the rest of the world.
-extreme persistance of taxi and 3-wheel motorized
rickshaw drivers trying to find new customers
-devotion of the faithful and the parents
-faith of the believers at their temples and religious
spots throughout the streets on the corners
-reverence in the museums
-suppport of fellow citizens needing help
-free spirit of the motorcyclists riding two, three
and four to a cycle
-blending, ever blending of every mode of
transportation from foot to truck or bus, with or
without traffic lights or traffic-directing police
officers
-originality in architecture, repair of vehicles,
meals
-2nd longest beach in the world being enjoyed at 6 pm
by thousands and thousands of people from the very
young on portable amusement rides to the elderly
walking hand in hand
-beautiful sculptures on temples, buildings, silks,
mounments, paintings, etc.
-peace in the faces of the devoted as the entered and
left their temples or as they sat in the parks
watching their children play
-willingness to help a very confused American
wandering around their city
-trees...so many trees, richly green trees, flower
covered trees
-shops...so many, many shops filled with everything
imaginable from watches to beautiful silks to carvings
of elephants in every size you can think of (Jessica
that was for you...ha ha)
-exceptional craftsmanship
-daring attempts solve problems
-agility of climbing of the barest of scaffolding to
paint gigantic billboards
-sense of dignity in men sitting chipping away at
stones to fit them gracefully into a new sidewalk at
their international terminal
-courageousness in the citizens ability to survive and
still find moments of joy in their lives amongst all
that surrounds them daily
My heart was also touched deeply when I saw a scene
that strongly reminded me that life is so fleetingly
brief and that a family last night would receive the
saddest of news that their beautiful daughter would
never come home again because she had become a highway
statistic.
Find time to love today, to smile, to laugh, to tell
someone you love them, to help others, to enjoy who
you are, where you, to see and add beauty to this
world in your own special way.
Wandering Alan off to the countryside near Chennai
to see my photos from this trip go to
https://wanderingalan.smugmug.com/organize/2001WorldTrip/2001Chennai
When I began writing these "Wandering Alan" messages I
decided that I would share positive experiences and
let the others become learnings for me to digest later
and perhaps share once I had completed my trip.
My goal was to live for 10 1/2 weeks by the philosophy
that my humor/CPSI friend Joel Goodman promotes...
"If we can say 'we'll laugh about this some time
later' Why not start now!"
So when I have experienced stressful, frustrating, sad
things I have attempted to focus on the humor
(present, past or potential) in the situation to help
me deal with it in the present. Or I have focused on
what can/might I learn from this or use in a "future
speech or program".
Boy do I have a load of material to last a life time.
On the streets of Chennai yesterday I saw, felt,
experienced....
-smiles from bellmen, doormen, police officers,
security people, military officers, shopkeepers,
motorized rickshaw drivers, people passing me on the
street
-waves from the same and more
-laughter in every corner amongst what else was
happening
-friends enjoying each other's company
-beauty in faces of young and old
-lovers walking hand in hand, sitting in parks,
enjoying their Saturday of free time
-school children touring zoos, parks, museums in their
uniforms with smiles as big as Mt. Everest
-humor among people on the street
-humor in cartoon books by R. K. Laxman, Indian
editorial cartoonist
-hardwork everywhere I turned, nearly every third
building or house is being worked on
-creativity and innovation in so many ways along the
streets and in the shops
-persistance of masons and general workers whether
building walls or digging trenches throughout Chennai
for the new 'cable system' that will connect them more
to the rest of the world.
-extreme persistance of taxi and 3-wheel motorized
rickshaw drivers trying to find new customers
-devotion of the faithful and the parents
-faith of the believers at their temples and religious
spots throughout the streets on the corners
-reverence in the museums
-suppport of fellow citizens needing help
-free spirit of the motorcyclists riding two, three
and four to a cycle
-blending, ever blending of every mode of
transportation from foot to truck or bus, with or
without traffic lights or traffic-directing police
officers
-originality in architecture, repair of vehicles,
meals
-2nd longest beach in the world being enjoyed at 6 pm
by thousands and thousands of people from the very
young on portable amusement rides to the elderly
walking hand in hand
-beautiful sculptures on temples, buildings, silks,
mounments, paintings, etc.
-peace in the faces of the devoted as the entered and
left their temples or as they sat in the parks
watching their children play
-willingness to help a very confused American
wandering around their city
-trees...so many trees, richly green trees, flower
covered trees
-shops...so many, many shops filled with everything
imaginable from watches to beautiful silks to carvings
of elephants in every size you can think of (Jessica
that was for you...ha ha)
-exceptional craftsmanship
-daring attempts solve problems
-agility of climbing of the barest of scaffolding to
paint gigantic billboards
-sense of dignity in men sitting chipping away at
stones to fit them gracefully into a new sidewalk at
their international terminal
-courageousness in the citizens ability to survive and
still find moments of joy in their lives amongst all
that surrounds them daily
My heart was also touched deeply when I saw a scene
that strongly reminded me that life is so fleetingly
brief and that a family last night would receive the
saddest of news that their beautiful daughter would
never come home again because she had become a highway
statistic.
Find time to love today, to smile, to laugh, to tell
someone you love them, to help others, to enjoy who
you are, where you, to see and add beauty to this
world in your own special way.
Indian DISNEY WORLD
Wandering Alan off to the countryside near Chennai
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