Farewell Bangalore!

Wow, I can't believe it's already time to say goodbye. This has been an amazing experince and it couldn't have happened without the woman who opened her home, her time and her heart: Nikki, I love you lady. You have truly become my sister. I'm definitely going to miss our glutonous trips to Baskin Robbins:) You are a beautiful woman. I pray that God strengthens you, keeps you and blesses you abundantly.

With that said, Nikki and I celebrated my last day in Bangalore by treating ourselves to facials and to a great dinner. I also received a mahindi tattoo that morning. Then the time came: it was time to say farewell. I'm not really the outwardly emotional type of individual, however, when I hugged Nikki, something in my heart constricted. I was really going to miss her. After a few words, I felt her tears and I knew mine were a blink away, so, she quickly pulled away and said: no, I promised myself that I wouldn't do this. I can't afford to do this. I understood.

So, we departed. I entered into the airport and watched Nikki through the window as she patiently waited to ensure that I'd made it through. Upon checking in, I was dismayed to discover that I'd exceeded my bag requirement. How much, I asked? 25kg's. I hadn't taken the time to learn the conversion metric system from kg to lbs, so, I'm thinking okay, maybe I'm about 10lbs over. Whatever it was, I'm sure it wasn't more than $25-$50. The attendant informs me that it would be 18000 rupees for me to check my bags. I did understand that conversion. Since the US dollar is valued at about 42rupees for every dollar, I quickly calculated that I would owe about $450! So, back out the door I went (luckily Nikki hadn't left). Anyone who knows of my history with traveling internationally knows that my bags NEVER SHOW UP! I always have some sort of lost baggage issue. So, here I was once again, on the side of the road trying to remove clothes as the world looks at me pulling out my thongs and bras. I had to laugh...that's what you do...you just have to laugh at times. I instantly thought back to the first time my luggage was lost: Nigeria. I cried on the inside. I was so upset. Distraught. At a lost. Three years later, I'm shaking it off and making the best of the situation. If I've learned anything in life it's that sometimes you have to leave things behind you (own that truth). Sometimes, things are lost, never to return again (accept it). At other times, they're misplaced or post-poned until you can gain a better appreciation for them (understand that).

As I sat there on the side of the road trying to make a rash decision about what I absolutely had to have, versus what I could live without until I'd be reunited (hopefully) with, Eryka Badu's song: Bag Lady from her Mama's Gun album came into mind: Bag lady, you gon' hurt yo back. Draggin' all dem' bags like dat'. I guess nobody eva' told you, all you must hold on to, is you, is you, is yoouuuu. One day all dem' bags gon' get in yo' way. One day all dem' bags gon' get in yo' way. I said, one day all dem bags gon' get in yo' way, so, PACK LIGHT. PACK LIGHT. PACK LIGHT...OOHHHH...OOHHH.

At that moment, I decided to leave the entire bag. The entire dog-gon' bag. This journey was about many things: self-reflection being at the top of the list. I was definitely looking to de-clutter my life. To disconnect from all of the emails, meetings, assignments, television, noise...everything. I looked Nikki in the eye and said: you know what? I'm going to leave this entire bag.

Pack Light....

Pack Light....

And I'm on my way