Happy New Year to all our blog followers. We will miss our friends in India for another year, and sympathise with the local merchants who must be suffering due to the lack of tourism. A good friend who managed to get back to Gokarna in South India says the pilgrims and Indian tourists don’t make up for the loss of another season without westerners. Four-week visas with one week quarantine are not appealing to travelers of our ilk.
Two western friends still in India, live in the Auroville community, which has grown exponentially since its beginnings in 1968. Covid has had little impact to life there. But once again Auroville has erupted with internal conflict.
This time, over a road project to connect the four different zones within the compound. The consequences of this ‘progress’ include the destruction of the forest, its planting begun over 50 years ago. The opposing point of view is ‘leave well enough alone’. Our friends say that if the divisiveness continues, they’re prepared to move on.
Losing a loved one around Christmas adds insult to injury. Two good friends just lost their mothers, stirring up memories of my own mother’s passing at Christmastime when I was eight years old. After her death, we never had Christmas at home again. From then on, my father, brother and I spent the holiday with relatives. I celebrated beneath the bedclothes, singing carols and creating the Christmas I’d lost. One clear Christmas Eve, spotting the evening star for the first time, I was convinced I was seeing the same star that guided the shepherds and kings to the baby Jesus. (Growing up in England, the sky was rarely clear enough to see that star!) Since my mother’s passing, His birthday for me has also been associated with death. And I can imagine my two friends who’ve recently lost their mothers will have similar feelings.
With all the calamity in the world right now, it’s easy for me to miss the beauty that’s right in front of us.
At dusk, the other night, Gerard and I walked through the Boston Common and Garden to see the Christmas lights. How magical the city can be! For a moment the world lost its sorrow in the reflection of the twinkling lights.
A Small Case Across India 
Lovely. And so sad to lose someone at Christmas time. My dad died near Christmas in 1997. He was 67. Your writing is beautiful!
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Thanks Nicole;. Sorry about your father. Dying around Christmas is not that uncommon.
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Hard to resist a title like “Under the Bedsheets”. The bedsheets were my only private space in the overflowing home of the Conlon family. The big family Christmases are long gone and I appreciate (and feel lucky) to have one special person to share it with. Your story of your early memory of Christmas after Mom makes my heart skip. How vulnerable and wonder-filled you are as a child. I hope 2022 has what you need for a wonderfully blessed year.
And thank you for the first hand news on your friends in India. It seems like everything eventually becomes a memory, like their Auroville as it absorbed into the fast lane.
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Thanks for sharing Marybeth. We miss you. Come and visit when you can. xx
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Love,hugs from Bodhi Zendo ..i came back for 2 weeks xmas new yr and bday the best 2 u both
On Tue, Dec 28, 2021, 11:03 PM A Small Case Across India wrote:
> Roberta & Gerard Wiggins posted: ” Happy New Year to all our blog > followers. We will miss our friends in India for another year, and > sympathise with the local merchants who must be suffering due to the lack > of tourism. A good friend who managed to get back to Gokarna in South Indi” >
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Ohhhhh Bobby you have captured your innocence and shared with us your surrender to the surroundings. I’m so touched by your thoughts regarding the loss of your mother at age 8! Seeing the star in the sky and singing the Christmas carols. How are you feeling? It’s a shocking photo of the chaos in the photo of India where the trees are felled.
Bruno is pretty run down and hopefully we’ll get together before the end of the week! I loved reading this submission today ✌🏾💕💯🙏🏽✨🥰❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
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Happy New Year, Bobby and Gerard!
Judy and Arthur
>
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Hey Bobbi…always a pleasure when your blog shows up In my email…happy New year to you and Gerard. I remember with nostalgia our getting to know each other in that small Varanasi cafe, luv
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Hi Roberta, I have enjoyed reading all of your blog posts thus far. I am not sure if you remember me from that writing group we were a part of many years ago at this point. I just wanted to say Happy New Year! I know that life comes with unexpected twists and turns. Though some are good and others are challenging, the fact that you fund a way through it makes your experiences worthwhile. Have an incredible year! All the Best, Maggie
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