devi ma

pondicherry--> trichy

i departed today from the poo-lined boulevards of pondicherry, making my way west towards the sivananda ashram. tamil buses are made for midgets. i am not a midget. yet, today was so sweet and wonderful, despite the loss of sensation in my extremities. a little old mataji sat next to me, all smiles. she was so ancient and tiny! her thighs were about the thickness of my upper arms. i gave her a piece of jackfruit and she force fed me potato chips. just before she got off of the bus she held my face between her wrinkled, brown little hands. we couldn't share a single word between us. she was a devi ma, this much i know. i hope that when i am her age i can be so radiant.