Hope

It’s that feeling, when your heart sinks and you feel it may just consume itself. It is a terrible feeling, and when you realize there isn’t much you can do it, this feeling escalates until a string is pulled and the tears start to flow.

Being positive in such a state of mind isn’t the first thing to think of, and in this sea of emotions, all you think of, is the reason for this sadness, and why you couldn’t do anything about it.

Rewinding and playing the past like a tape full of memories, with no control over when or where to stop, until living in the past starts to badly damage the present. This endless cycle isn’t worth the pain, so I’ve heard.

But in that moment, reliving the memories that bring a smile to your face are greater than the striking pain they bring to the heart.

It is the floating ray of hope, which your soul seeks far and beyond, only to realize that it is temporary, like a beautiful mirage. You see it, reach out to grasp it, and just when your feeble emotions are about to touch the hope (which will seemingly illuminate the present), swallows itself and your emotions into a downward spiral of darkness.

Disappears to leave the soul and emotions falling into the trap of the beautiful human mind – making you believe that it would be impossible to leave this abyss without relying on the memories of the past.

Illuminating the dark present with these memories is like a weak, flickering candlelight in vast, grim space, but it provides hope.

Hope is like the guiding light, which illuminates the pathway to belief, in yourself and in the power of time.

Time

In the light of real love, it is always easy to fight, scream and end up tearing each other apart, but there is something about the connection between two minds, souls and bodies that seems to heal all wounds and bind all scars, even if it takes time.

Its that this time, the period of not knowing what to do seems like it is probably the toughest test of personal strength - and trying to keep from drowning in thoughts and emotions, and trying to constantly believe in the power of time seems impossible.

But every phase in life is bound to have ups and downs, and when the downs seem to last forever it takes all physical and emotional capabilities to keep afloat, this trust in time, and in oneself is hopefully a test of being able to withstand the strong currents in order to navigate the calmer waters with a better sense of judgement and dedication.

I have always believed in two things. Everything happens for a reason, and that if something doesn't work out, it was for the best, or maybe was a test, because eventually, everything will.

And I hope that time heals everything.

Julley!



Pronounced Joo-Ley, this word Julley has been a very big and important part of my life. A hi, hello, good evening or thank you, this word in the ancient language of Bothi, still spoken in Ladakh, means much more than those few words that I used to describe it.

You know that after-glow when you return home from doing something for some people other than yourself? That was just the beginning, because the glow has lasted ever since.

In September 2010, Leh saw a terrible cloudburst, bringing down mountain-fulls of soil at the speed wind. Cars were crushed to soda cans, and houses looked like piles of bricks, and the plight of the people...

As this tragedy struck, monetary aid started flying in from all parts of the world to help the people, monasteries, and monks. And that is when the concept of Mission Julley was born. An initiative to help children in Leh, by providing them with all the material as well as monetary aid we can give. We started to spread word and ask for people willing to donate material aid like books, and stationary.

Soon after, a few of us actually went to Leh, and were left speechless when we saw the smiles on the faces of the Ladakhis even after they had seen their houses, families and towns wiped down by the cloudburst. BEing amidst them made me feel gratitude towards every little thing I have, and all that I have been blessed to receive, like a family, home, education and much more.

But this isn’t where the story ends; it’s where my relationship with Leh, and the word Julley begins…

This experience left me with so many thoughts and new ideas that I knew, once this wheel had started spinning, it wasn’t going to stop.

Recently, when Mission Julley became the 17,000 Ft Foundation, I went to a remote village in Ladakh called PunPun, where electricity was available for two hours at night, and a telephone connection did not exist. This where the PunPun Village School exists, and that’s where I set up a library and took on numerous story-telling and creativity projects with the 30 children that make up the school. With a Julley for almost every book we put in the library together, and a Julley for every activity we did, it’s the Julley of humility, gratitude and thanks that I miss.

Julley to all the people in Ladakh with whom I have interacted, because it is these interactions which has shaped me to become more humble and caring, more responsive than I was and most of all, down to earth.

There’s that glow which I spoke about previously, you know, which just illuminates my face when I hear the word Julley, and makes me feel so glad to be who I am. Its this word that constantly reminds me of myself, and what I should work towards, to ‘be’, and to live.

Julley!

The PunPun Village, Ladakh, India

Two village women come to the school to see what's happening

The Head Teacher of the school

Beautiful, surreal, beyond compare - Ladakh