The world lost a brilliant man this month. I lost a mentor and friend. That man was Chitresh Das, a brilliant Indian dancer. He was only seventy years old, at the peak of his career and creativity. The cause of death was an aortic rupture…I don’t know the details… only that he died quickly without prolonged pain and suffering. His wife and two young daughters that were left behind are the ones who are suffering the most. . .
Approximately one month ago, Houston, Texas was inundated by the storm surge caused by hurricane Harvey. In an unprecedented series of Atlantic hurricanes, Harvey was followed in quick succession by hurricane Irma which struck Florida, hurricane Maria which devastated Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, . . .
Whenever I travel to “old Europe,” that is, the continent of Europe, I’m reminded that Europeans are much more aware of history than Americans are. They see the old cathedrals, the castles, the city walls, the statues, the artwork…all products of their long history. . .
This essay was first published in August, 2011, soon after a reunion of my German student colleagues dating from the early seventies in Kiel, Germany.
Welcome again to India: Above, two views of the Gateway to India India assaults the senses and the intellect. The smells, the sounds, the crowds, the traffic, all these constant phenomena reinforce the necessity to live consciously . . .
Words are inadequate to describe India, absent firsthand experience. But I’ll try…
I experienced wildlife in India that I had imagined could only be experienced on an African safari.