Mountain Musings 

Reflections on being disconnected for 30 days

#TripotoTakeMeToBrahmatal

I just got back last Monday after a 28 day stint in the Himalayas learning to become a Mountaineer. We had little or no means of communication as our phones were not working most of the time and even when they were, their “smart” capabilities were not brought to the fore due to the fact that the Internet was down.

Unintentionally, we(the group of people doing the Mountaineering Course) found ourselves being disconnected with the world and more connected to one another because our conversations were not interrupted with WhatsApp, Facebook or the plethora of distractions the Internet has to offer.

We were forced to interact with each other on a deeper level. Pressured to have conversation and eat with the people around us.

In addition to making us more meaningfully social and not superficially “social”(the way Social Networks do), the downtime (as I’d like to call this period) gave us so much time.

Time to talk, laugh, and ponder.

Here are some of the things that were going through me old noggin .

The rawest and the purest form of a person is squeezed out when you push someone to their physical and mental limits.

We are all individuals, each with their own unique story. One that deserves to be heard and one with an opportunity for learning.

No matter how accomplished or smart. That does not give anyone the right to put somebody down or make them feel like shit.

Do not speak to fill a silence. Sometimes, spending time with someone in silence can be cathartic.

Things really get worse before they get better.

Nothing will happen if WhatsApp or Facebook goes unchecked for a day, a week or even a month. Trust me, I know. :)

We live in a world of overexposure. Of information, people and things we don’t really need to know. Disconnect and look inside to find what is really worth finding.

Happiness is all about the little things. A hug, an extra slice of cheese or butter on your toast, a smile, a shooting star, a light moment with your loved ones, a head massage, good food, snow capped mountains, the sound of the river. These are the things that money can’t buy and people don’t realize. You don’t need more money or a bigger house, what is needed is more space in your heart and a broader smile. ❤