What We Can Learn From Those Less Privileged
A Journey Through the Backwaters
Sailing down the serene backwaters of Kerala, all I can hear is the chirping of the birds, motors buzzing from the fishing boats nearby and the chatter of our gracious boatmen navigating us on a traditional houseboat. Along with my husband, I am visiting the Indian state often referred to as “God’s Own Country”. And now I can see why.
Situated in south west India along the shores of the Arabian Sea, Kerala is home to a tropical oasis. A holiday maker’s paradise, Kerala is also home to over 34 million people who are amongst the most literate in India. But situated here in the wilderness of Kumarakom Lake, I can hardly catch a glimpse of more than a hand full of people. As I meander through countless canals and inner waterways, I witness the beautiful birds, several of which have migrated here as winter sets in the colder nations to the north. Countless rice paddies surround us amongst hundreds of coconut groves. A view so serene that my eyes feel massaged. Escaping the pressures of life in North America, I feel I have truly entered another world.
As we spend hours on the water on what for us is a luxury getaway I can’t help but notice the countless fishermen who cross our path. We may share the waterways but our lives are markedly apart. I can hear their loud howls as they probably discuss their daily catch with each other, their melodious humming as they sing a song to close a day’s hard work and the happy smiles plastered across their faces. A world so small in which their daily catch and family is all they have to think of. Along this journey I am reminded of a lesson I often take for granted.
There is beauty in less.
These fisherman have had very little exposure to what many of us have experienced. From travelling fast jets to staying in beautiful hotels, we have been adorned with the finer things that life has to offer. But so often we are the same people who are stressed and miserable. Ever sit in a five star hotel only to notice people frazzled on their phones taking a conference call absolutely clueless to their beautiful surroundings? But for these fishermen they intake every moment, singing songs as they catch a few dollars worth of fish and radiate contentment you or I can never understand. Their world is small.
More exposure often leads to more expectations, which in itself eliminates the joy of being. We are caught in a vicious circle of wanting more. More funding for our businesses, more space in our homes, and more vacations all only leading us to have more fatigue. We never know what is enough.
For these boatmen, the fastest vehicle they may have travelled in is their little dinghy. Chugging along the still waters, their world is contained within a 50km radius. Unplugged from the media, bureaucracy, modern society and formal roles, they live with less. Running water is a luxury. Yet, these village people merrily wash their garments in the river, smiling at us as we pass by. Completely ignorant to who we are or the tales we have to tell. For this is all they will ever know — they have no expectations. And this is why they are happy.
Having less means they are less distracted and can only focus on the now. Putting them in a position to be fully present. There is no worry of what tomorrow will hold. When you’ve really got nothing to lose, you’ll go forward living your best life.
As I sat talking to the boatmen steering our boat, all of which are educated, I asked them what kept them to life on the waters. One of them, having tried a corporate position in Chennai said, “nothing can compare to life here on the water. Where else can we experience fireflies at night whilst simultaneously gazing at the stars?”
So the next time you wonder whether you should do more or have more think if instead you could take on less but have more time to nourish your soul whether that be by taking in the scenery or spending an afternoon fishing. It’s those moments where we are most present that will form the beauty that we aspire to create in our lives.
