A ride of a life time

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  Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, India
Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Oh wow.... I have so much to tell you guys. I really wanted to tell you on the phone, but this can't wait.

Yesterday was the most amazing day of my life! After we woke up in Delhi, the CCS staff had an Indian professor give us a very informative talk on the history of India and the current situation. So amazing! We left the home base in Delhi at 11 to catch out 1:45 flight to Dharamsala. We were all so excited. Everything worked out perfectly until we tried to check our baggage and had over the maximum amount of weight that could be taken on the plane. It was a small plane so we were all very understanding of the situation just a little confused of what to do with the luggage that couldn't be taken on the plane. In the end, the CCS drivers in Delhi said they would drive the luggage up to Dharamsala (a 10 hour drive), they are so NICE! So here comes to the most amazing plane ride of my entire life thus far- but honestly, probably of my life. We boarded the plane and I was seated in seat 5B. As I sat down I immediately realized the man sitting next to me was a Buddhist Monk. OH WOW. I knew this was going to be an amazing plane ride already. So he was really nice and we were talking, introducing ourselves.. and we looked out the window before the plane took off and we noticed that there was a car unloading that looked like it was carrying a political figure or famous person. The monk and I joked..."Oh its probably the Dalai Lama" laughing and saying "Oh, I wish..." he continued to tell me how he has met him many times before. The monk I was sitting next to is actually a Lama (one of the highest ranks you can be before the Dalai Lama). He to me he had to complete 3 years, 3 months, and 3 days of complete solitude to become a Lama. Anyway, after the plane was boarded and was about to take off a man in front of our seat who we were talking to, named Roger, looked back and said in a very hush voice, " Oh my, his Holiness is on the plane" We both looked in complete excitement...and to my surprise and amazement H.H. the Dalai Lama was sitting in the third window seat from the back. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!. OOOOOOOOMMMMMMGGGGGGGG ......AHHHH! The monk, Roger, and I all put our hand in the prayer position and signaled his respect. He made eye contact with me and signaled back. Oh wow. words can not explain how totally in shock I was. Roger and the monk were very emotional. I became emotional. After we landed the volunteers all joked that that plane was probably the safest plane ride and that you knew you were safe in that plane. And if we did go down, it would have been okay because we would all reach Nirvana pretty easily. So having the Dalai Lama in the plane was amazing, but the true part of this ride that will forever stay with me forever was the monk I sat next to. We talked the whole ride, about his job, since he is a "high lama" he goes around the world and teaches meditation. He told me all about his views of meditation and how it can completely transform your life. We also talked about how he was born in Tibet and how he all hope that the cause of Tibet will find its solution some day. He said the Buddhist philosophy is that "everything is changeable" and that they will always stay optimistic. I just admire that so much. This man was truly amazing. I will always remember him. By the end of the ride we got really close and he gave me his e-mail and told me to please e-mail him in the future and keep in touch. We took pictures together and I even watched his bag in the airport as he talked to his fellow "lamas" before we left. I will never forget him. And I will never forget yesterday and my plane ride with the Dalai Lama.

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