Two Debts Of Gratitude To India

About five years ago I found myself working closely with two Indians, one a Christian and the other a Hindu. I no longer work with either of these friends, but I'll never forget them.

They each gave me a gift.

Fasting

The Christian (we'll call him Jeevan) fasted regularly. Every Friday, in fact. Jeevan informed me that everyone in his home church does that. Fasting is part of life's rhythm for them.

Here in America it's hard to find people who fast regularly. I had fasted on a few occasions, but it had never occurred to me to make a habit of it. That's just something Americans don't do.

After observing Jeevan, however, I decided that this American wanted to give that habit a try. I never looked back. Weekly fasts are now deeply etched into my life's rhythm.

Fasting brings many benefits. In some future blog perhaps I'll get into those perks, but here I'll simply acknowledge my debt of gratitude to Jeevan and to India.

Vegetarianism

Yes, the Hindu (we'll call him Amit) was a practicing vegetarian.

As a Christian I felt rather relieved that my faith did not require me to practice vegetarianism. So I didn't.

But Amit's habit was not lost on me nor forgotten. As the ensuing years passed, I never lost sight of the reverence that some Hindus give to animals. Obviously I don't believe in reincarnation or have any confusion over the holiness of cows and monkeys.

But a respect for animal life... that is something many Hindus have, and it's something many Christians have lost. I felt that loss.

But meat tastes good (!) so for years I continued to postpone making a change in my diet. In recent weeks, however, I finally did face my thoughts head on. I decided to become a vegetarian. And when I did, Amit was not far from my thoughts.

Two friends brought Indian customs to American soil.

Their practices were foreign to me at first. Now I call them my own.

Thank you, Jeevan and Amit. Thank you, India.