Our new spiritual director, arrived yesterday in the wee hours of the morning. Having spent the last seven years in Europe and the States, the whole thing of Kondadaba was a bit new to him - though he did spend two years of his early life in this very institution as a student. Our discussions with him are interesting, especially given the fact that he is noticing things we take for granted. Coming from a very different set up, certain things are difficult to understand the how and why of. The culture/context lag will take much longer than the jet lag.
As we entered the seminary, one had to get off the vehicle to open the gate and he innocently asked if it is not on power and the remote. When I told him that it isn't, he suggested that we could go for it. I could not but laugh. Who on earth would want an electric, fortified gate and that too of all places on earth, for Kondadaba seminary. Anyway, I politely told him that we barely have power and an electric-powered gate is totally out of the question.
During lunch he was sharing how he felt odd when asked to share his reserved seat with a couple of other people (most of whom did not even have an ordinary ticket!), in spite of him have a certified reserved seat in the train. For us this is not something new or out of the way, for him it was. However, he has been very accommodative and has not made any fuss regarding anything so far, though I know that he does feel awkward at times.
Anyway, wish to see more of things that I have taken for granted, from the eyes of someone who sees it differently.
As we entered the seminary, one had to get off the vehicle to open the gate and he innocently asked if it is not on power and the remote. When I told him that it isn't, he suggested that we could go for it. I could not but laugh. Who on earth would want an electric, fortified gate and that too of all places on earth, for Kondadaba seminary. Anyway, I politely told him that we barely have power and an electric-powered gate is totally out of the question.
During lunch he was sharing how he felt odd when asked to share his reserved seat with a couple of other people (most of whom did not even have an ordinary ticket!), in spite of him have a certified reserved seat in the train. For us this is not something new or out of the way, for him it was. However, he has been very accommodative and has not made any fuss regarding anything so far, though I know that he does feel awkward at times.
Anyway, wish to see more of things that I have taken for granted, from the eyes of someone who sees it differently.
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