First and foremost I would like to welcome the gorgeous weather to Rutgers Campus! Thank you for finally showing up, please stay awhile.
Today. Is. Gorgeous
It's warm, it's sunny and there is a breeze. How can it get better than that? With weather like today comes short season. I always feel weird the first day that I wear shorts each year. I feel like you need to be tan to wear shorts and my little Northern European self is anything but - It's a bit of a conundrum though, if I need to be tan to wear shorts but can not get tan without wearing them how do I wear them without blinding everyone who looks my way as the sun bounces off my dismally pale legs. It's a conundrum I tell ya. I did decide to wear shorts today (sorry for anyone I blinded) and I also decided to lay and read in the grass between my classes, and one of my professors (Dr. Clark - the best professor) decided to hold class outside today so overall I'd say that the beauty of the day was well spent. Thank you world =]
One of my absolute favorite things about days like today is the contrast of colors between the leaves and the sky. I recently Pledged Alpha Zeta, and as the brothers were trying to get to know me, one of the questions I was ALWAYS asked was "what's your favorite color?". In the beginning I was a little perplexed- I mean sure I have a favorite color but did I really want to be so boring to just say it was green? Whenever I did say there was always a follow up question "what shade?" that was the kicker. I explained that my favorite color was the green of new spring leaves when the contrast against a bright blue sky and dark brown bark. Some people understood what I meant, others didn't seem to get outside much but that color combination is my absolute favorite thing. it doesn't happen often but when it does it's magical. Furthermore - I can't replicate it. Whenever I try to put greens, blues an browns together it just looks like a 13 year old boy's room not the gorgeous earth in all its splendor - my reasoning behind it is that the beauty of the colors comes from the fact that they are alive - no type of paint can replicate it. For anyone who is reading this and chuckling at my hippie antics I dare you to take a look at the sky today and not smile - it's a beautiful day.
I was going to originally only write about this next topic but I thought the day's beauty warranted mentioning =]
Last Thursday I met Radhanath Swami. I don't expect you to know who that is. I certainly didn't.
My friend Caroline (yes Caroline, CarolAnn - it's confusing) is a member of the Bhakti Yoga club on campus. She pledged with me this semester which unfortunately left her little time to get in touch with her spiritual side. Luckily for me, she found out that Radhanath Swami was coming to Rutgers for a visit and thought that it would be a perfect time to jump back into the netherworld and bring me along with her, I am so glad that I went.
I am not a very religious person - but this man made me reconsider. He is a Hindu monk who left home (Chicago) when he was 19, in search of the meaning of life and ended living his life in India. He feeds over 200,000 people every year and opened up two hospitals for the people of India to use. I am not sure how to properly explain him to you but the first time that I saw him and looked him in the eye - I got chills. He had the most calm and peaceful demeanor about him, something that I had never in my life seen before. When he spoke he was full of wisdom but remained completely humble. He spoke about deep topics in a light and airy way - showing their meaning but at the same time showing how they are meaningless in the scheme of things. I was absolutely awestruck by this man. I am reading his autobiography now (all proceede go towards feeding the hungry and updating the hospitals) and I continue to be amazed at the trials he went through before deciding to become a monk.
I highly recommend reading his book and if you every get the opportunity to meet him - please do, it could be life altering. This is a link about his visit that was in the Targum.
I also highly recommend going to the Bhakti Yoga Club meetings - I am going to start going with Caroline next semester - I can not wait. Everyone was so nice and welcoming. The entire night was something that I will never forget.
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