Balancing Hearts

Three hours before our last goodbyes, a few of us decided to go up a rooftop to watch Ahmedabad from above. After a few minutes on the roof, Bhupatbai and Sanchi kindly asked us to come down as it had rained a bit before and the roof could be slippery. As soon as we had all gone down the ladder, we sat around contemplating ideas for a while, and exploring what ESI and Jayeshbai’s mission truly meant to us. I explained that I was worried; although I was truly inspired the lifestyle of “living in the moment” and with pure love, I just could not understand how that was a sustainable way of living. I was confused as to how relationships could only rely on the trust that the universe would provide.  Sanchi beautifully articulated that there was an unseen balance, between acceptance of circumstances and appreciating the now, and between the actual act of planning and preparation to make sure to welcome the universes gifts with open arms. True Jayeshbai lived in the moment, but that does not mean he did not plan ways to better his community in the future; he simply did it by living without expectations and full of love. After all, the universe does help, but that in no way means you should not help yourself.

I believe that that is what I am taking away. In everything that we have gone through and learned on this trip, the lesson that sticks out the most to me is balance. Not just the balance we talk about at Andover between academics, extra-curricular activities and sleep. It’s a balance that affects our core values, the way we evaluate the world we see around us. It is a balance between fearlessness and trust, openness and truth, family and love. When we are able to find that balance, however we may choose to do so, we begin to realize that the heart must be at the center. This is not to say the mind is not needed. There is a clear purpose to everything that we have been given and the mind is an integral part of our existence. But this balance between our core values is something that can only be achieved by using the heart. I can only hope that after everything I learned in Niswarth I can find that balance for myself.

--Malika