Today was an amazing experience!  The Dalai Lama came home today from having surgery in New Delhi and I was able to be apart of the homecoming!!  For preparation, early this morning, the streets were swept (as I explained before, with straw brooms), garbage was picked up, flags were hung, shops and schools were closed and everyone from beggars, elementary school kids, merchants, tourists and monks were out by the hundreds silently waiting for the procession.  Everyone waited for hours and when he finally drove through, you could hear a pin drop! SILENCE!  I have NEVER, EVER experienced anything as quiet in India since my arrival…not a cow mooing, dog barking or car horn blaring!

I was about 2-3 feet from him when he drove by and I am truly touched by the sincerity, love and compassion in his face!  That smile!  There was nothing to compare seeing him in person, even if for a couple of seconds!  Peace absolutely radiates from his face!  It really is amazing!  What a wonderful experience.

In honor of this, I have to make a special note about the honesty and generousity that I’ve seen among the merchants/shopkeepers here.  No one steals…merchants leave their stocked stands on the street in the care of others and they all help each other out.  I’ve had two incidences, in which I’ve lost items that were returned to me fully intact!  Last week, I left my hangbag with EVERYTHING in it (we have to carry our passport, all my cash and valuables, as it isn’t safe to leave in the hotel) at the internet cafe – all returned safe and sound!  Then today, I left my jacket in one of our favorite breakfast cafes with money in the pocket and the shop keeper next door returned it to me in the afternoon…….  Always good, anywhere you go around the world!