Once Upon a Mountain Time

“My solitude is not my own, for I see now how much it belongs to them-and that I have responsibility for it in their regard not just in my own. It is because I’m one with them that I owe it to them to be alone, and when I am alone they are not ‘they’ but my own self. There are no strangers.”

From Confessions of a Guilty Bystander

– Thomas Merton

 

 

 

Can’t Help Falling in Love…

 

The above quote has been borrowed from one of my most favourite author Ruskin Bond’s book, “Rain in the Mountain”, gifted by a very dear friend just before I travelled to the mountains last week. I owe it to Mr. Bond’s innumerable writings for introducing me to my new found love.

I wonder why I assumed all these years that I was an ocean girl. And not a mountain girl at all!

Conditioning, mindset, or sheer experiences? Who knows. I was born in the foot hills of Himalayas, in a small university campus that stood in the warm, lazy embrace of bustling forests and dotted with abundant nature. I spent major part of my growing up years visiting the Himalayan landscape.

But as a child each time I travelled to the mountains, I would get bouts of mountain sickness on the upward drive, would feel breathless trudging the hills (still do) and cold weather wasn’t my best friend ever. Till recently when I chose to befriend the winters, instead of begrudging them when we moved back to North India 10 years back.

Swing the mindset, and it helps, believe you me!

For the love of Mountains

“One step at a time”, they say. What started as savouring and learning to appreciate the cold weather that came knocking at our doors every year, has led me to a new found friendship and love for the mountains. I have fallen head over heels in love with these pristine, steep, towering, teaming with nature landscapes.

I came here for a break with my family. I’m now alone working on a project very close to my heart.

Someone rightly said, “You eventually go back to your roots.” And the last few days I have come to love the mountains like never before. I know for a fact that eventually, in a few days, I will return to my urban setting. Hadn’t it been for family, I’d be here for good. Who knows!

And I’m savouring these moments of solitude like never before.

Life comes a full circle. Share on X

 

 

The pandemic has also opened up a whole new set of possibilities, despite the angst it has brought upon us. After not being able to travel for almost 7 months, the mountains, its all encompassing forests and inhabitants have been my redemption.

I’m falling in in love with the mighty Himalayas, and gazing ardently at the snow capped Nanda Devi and Trishul makes it all a spiritual journey of growth, healing and evolution.

Mighty grateful for these gifts bestowed upon by the universe.

 

 

Blessings from Goddess Nanda Devi and Shiva’s Trishul peaks going out for all of you.

#DidYouKnow

• Nanda Devi is 2nd highest mountain in India after Kangchangjunga. It is part of Garwhal Himalayas
• Nanda Devi stands for “Bliss giving Goddess” who protects and guards the fragile ecosystem and the circle of mountain range surrounding it.
• Trishul is a group of 3 Himalayan moutain peaks and represent Shiva’s trident. 

Have a healthy, abundant and peaceful new month, my dear amigos in blogosphere! I did miss you, but I’m back.

My internet is patchy here and I still have to visit your posts from the previous week. Please bear with me. I promise to catch up soon.

Love, Light and Virtual Hugs. <3

Natasha

<3 <3 <3 <3

 

After note:

#WW will now be an alternate week linky party.

The next edition goes live on 20th October.

There won’t be a linky widget, but you can link up by leaving the links to your posts in the comments section.

I will link your posts on my blog in the next edition and spread some love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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#WordlessWednesday #WednesdayWisdom

Here’s how you can join:

1. #WW goes live 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month.
2. Post a picture or pictures on your blog. It could be from life’s wondrous or wicked moments. Plug in the lessons (#WednesdayWisdom) and humour too. Share your wanderlust moments, or simple random shots from your day that caught your fancy, or not.
3. Make your post as wordless or wordy as you wish to. Well, we are guessing now you know why we are called “not-so-wordless Wednesday” too!
4. Do add the new badge to your post and a backlink to my post.
5. Have a good time reading, commenting and sharing the posts linked here. Connect with a fascinating bunch of bloggers from across the globe.

You can link up right up till Monday the 19th October, therefore you have ample time to hop in.

Get ready to be deliciously framed!

Have a fabulous #WW!

 

Linking up with a bunch of fantastic peeps from the blogosphere who host Wordless Wednesday :

Betty, Steve, Sue NC, Zina, Xmas Dolly, Cathy, Tina

Also linking with optimistic Trent’s Weekly Smiles, Brian’s ThankfulThursday and Skyley’s Skywatch