Report of 2 Oct '08
Hello from my living room –
The boys had 2 days of holidays, and the Banyan had neither holiday, but I took off to sit with these 2. They are in the almighty 10th and 12th grades, with giant board exams at the end of the year, and the bonus days off in the middle of the school year are ideal times for doing a little academic catch-up. Both boys have proved that this is not high-priority for them, that music and movies are, so there was a little parental initiative from me – to their great dismay.
The Banyan is lovely. Underfunded but not flailing. Can’t let a little thing like money – or lack of money - stop progress. I saw the lady who had been outside our flat, now at the Banyan; she had been cleaned up and looked dignified and presentable, but still was not saying very much, just shaking her head in reply to questions. I feel for these ladies, let me tell you: when postpartum weirdness (my memorable experience with mental "illness") hit me with a vengeance, both the nurses and Scott were understanding and tolerant and no one turned me out on the street sans new baby or food to fend for myself.
There is another lady in the sick room, who has been picked up from the street. Her right arm was fractured some time ago, and did not heal well, so the orthopedic surgeons, God bless them, operated to make it heal well. She is a beautiful young woman, with large, expressive eyes and a non-fussy manner; the health care worker thinks she is mute because she does not say anything but she mouths things in the manner of someone who knows the words, and does not have the homogenous grunt that mute people often do. I feel for this lady, too; who turned her out? Who broke her arm? Does she have someone somewhere who misses her eyes which smile first, her gentle demeanor? What a privilege it is to care for those whom others will not care for.
Naren’s band, Blue Light Daze, played 2 weekends ago and that was the first time I heard them. I enjoyed the show. They played last week at our apartment complex to raise funds for the Banyan, and the show was magnificent. The band had a mixture of original songs and covers of others’ songs, and they kept the crowd rocking. Some of the instruments drowned out the vocals, but it was a merry fest, enjoyed by all in attendance. Blue Light Daze raised about Rs. 42,000 (about $1000) and Vandana was thrilled. Actually, the band was more thrilled.
Scott has a new job, and is based in Chennai. Quel relief. It is with a firm that is based in the U.S., called UST Global.
Today is Gandhi’s birthday. Thanks to his phenomenal, peaceful, single-minded effort, I sit today in a free country. I feel like I need to appreciate other things in my life today, too – so please accept my gratitude for your friendship and the effort you make to stay in touch with me.
Unw –
R
The boys had 2 days of holidays, and the Banyan had neither holiday, but I took off to sit with these 2. They are in the almighty 10th and 12th grades, with giant board exams at the end of the year, and the bonus days off in the middle of the school year are ideal times for doing a little academic catch-up. Both boys have proved that this is not high-priority for them, that music and movies are, so there was a little parental initiative from me – to their great dismay.
The Banyan is lovely. Underfunded but not flailing. Can’t let a little thing like money – or lack of money - stop progress. I saw the lady who had been outside our flat, now at the Banyan; she had been cleaned up and looked dignified and presentable, but still was not saying very much, just shaking her head in reply to questions. I feel for these ladies, let me tell you: when postpartum weirdness (my memorable experience with mental "illness") hit me with a vengeance, both the nurses and Scott were understanding and tolerant and no one turned me out on the street sans new baby or food to fend for myself.
There is another lady in the sick room, who has been picked up from the street. Her right arm was fractured some time ago, and did not heal well, so the orthopedic surgeons, God bless them, operated to make it heal well. She is a beautiful young woman, with large, expressive eyes and a non-fussy manner; the health care worker thinks she is mute because she does not say anything but she mouths things in the manner of someone who knows the words, and does not have the homogenous grunt that mute people often do. I feel for this lady, too; who turned her out? Who broke her arm? Does she have someone somewhere who misses her eyes which smile first, her gentle demeanor? What a privilege it is to care for those whom others will not care for.
Naren’s band, Blue Light Daze, played 2 weekends ago and that was the first time I heard them. I enjoyed the show. They played last week at our apartment complex to raise funds for the Banyan, and the show was magnificent. The band had a mixture of original songs and covers of others’ songs, and they kept the crowd rocking. Some of the instruments drowned out the vocals, but it was a merry fest, enjoyed by all in attendance. Blue Light Daze raised about Rs. 42,000 (about $1000) and Vandana was thrilled. Actually, the band was more thrilled.
Scott has a new job, and is based in Chennai. Quel relief. It is with a firm that is based in the U.S., called UST Global.
Today is Gandhi’s birthday. Thanks to his phenomenal, peaceful, single-minded effort, I sit today in a free country. I feel like I need to appreciate other things in my life today, too – so please accept my gratitude for your friendship and the effort you make to stay in touch with me.
Unw –
R
posted by Renu Weiss at
6:35 AM
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