layers of grey…

 the henna has faded
 jet lag has set in
 and india already seems like a lifetime ago

 but as far away as it feels,
 india, as it always does, left its mark

 the ocean, wherever it finds  you, always has its pull
 it is a reminder of how small  we are
 but how big life can be

 in mumbai i found it as i sat on the seawall and sketched and, again, running along carter road with my sister
 in goa, i swam in it and breathed it in

 cities, too, have their own pull

 as i embrace the cold, dreary days that have greeted me since my return home and to what seems like a colorless city, i find myself reflecting on life in  mumbai

 rich with people and traditions
 life is played out in the homes and streets of mumbai in full color
 shades of red, orange, blue, yellow, green, and gold color the streets, the people, and the food

 all of this color is what makes mumbai and india magical
 but it can also render a traveler, like myself, colorblind to the day to day lives–filled with hard work and suffering–of those that live there
 and make coming back to milwaukee, painted in grey, difficult to embrace

 but, there is nothing like time with family and commuting in a city, however far away, to remind us that there are layers behind every color 

 and, it is these layers– of history and time, craftsmanship and artistry, family and love– that gives color texture and makes it more vibrant and beautiful
 no matter where you are

 and so here i am back in milwaukee
 in my city re-connecting with friends
 in my studio back at work
 and in my home with my family
 embracing the grey and all of the layers that come with it