Sister Time
Last weekend I had the privilege of hosting my sister for a short but sweet visit. Her husband and two friends were along as well; the four of them were enroute to teach some seminars in central India. I had been looking forward to her visit for months, and had made lots of plans for all the things we could do together. I wanted to show her all the beautiful places and introduce her to all the interesting people that I have discovered in these past months. 
One of those beautiful places is a hillside garden planted among Moghul-era ruins, which we enjoyed despite the rain.
Two and a half days went by much too quickly, so most of the places and people I love will have to wait until my sister’s next visit. But her presence here meant a great deal to me. In this place where no one has known me for longer than 7 months, it was tremendously refreshing to relax with someone who has known me almost all my life—and loved me for most of it! Some of our adventures here brought back memories of other adventures together in different places. And sharing new experiences added to our already deep memory bank. My sister and I are similar in many ways, and it was such a pleasure to appreciate the same beauty together, and laugh at the same funny situations.
One of our favorite memories is of a trip across the lake
to picnic on an island. We were rowed in a traditional boat called a “shikara,” in which we relaxed on soft cushions and watched the shoreline slip by. During rare breaks in our conversation, we soaked in the quiet and peace of the still lake. In some way this new world of mine is richer and more real now that my sister has shared it. As I learn to love this unique place and its people, I know that she is loving it with me.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged sister by Lisa