I have decided that Kerala, and the L’Arche community here, hosts some of my most favorite things in life. For starters coconuts! There are coconut trees aplenty. L’Arche Kerala has 10 acres of land used, in part, to support the community. There are coconut, banana, and cashew trees, hibiscus plants, and black pepper to name a few. They also have milk cows, but I haven’t yet had the opportunity to milk them ;) Coconuts; everywhere! They fall from the trees. We usually gather and collect them to use in our cooking. There are several cooks which prepare the meals for the whole community. Guess what they put in everything they make??? Coconuts !!! It is fabulous. Either they shred coconuts to make a fantastic chutney, or they use the oil of the coconuts to cook with. Beyond this there are always fresh coconuts to crack open and drink their delicious water, or eat the fleshy pulp. So delicious!
Flowers! Flowers are everywhere here in Kerala. Not only are they everywhere, but they are my favorite type of flower; hibiscus, which is actually an herb. But they have a beautiful flower. I have a particularly good association with hibiscus as not only are they very good for your immune system, but they first time I viewed them I was on the most magical trip in Honduras. I had hiked into a remote community called Montana Verde in the North West of Honduras. We spent the night in this remote mountaintop community with no running water, no electricity, and no roads to drive in on. When the morning came we were invited into a modest home where they prepared fresh tortilla on a wood stove, and served it to us with beans, queso (cheese), and coffee. I remember walking out of this humble home and being surrounded by hibiscus plants. They were incredible. The most brilliant shade of fuchsia pink and red, all around me. So alive and vibrant! Perhaps the feelings I was experiencing at the time being in that community and on that mountaintop. Needless to say I love hibiscus.
Ashaniketan uses these gorgeous flowers all the time! For every celebration, or occasion the hibiscus flowers are gathered and displayed in an attractive fashion. If it is someone’s’ birthday all types of flowers are collected. Some are used to make a lovely bouquet, while the others are handed out to everyone present. Then, one by one, we take the flower up to the birthday girl or boy, and give it to them. By the end of this “ceremony” the birthday individual is covered with an amazing assortment of flowers. Such a lovely way to celebrate someone’s day of birth!
Two years ago I made it a New Years’ resolution to always have fresh flowers in my house. This goes to show how much I love fresh flowers and relish having them around at all times. And, yes, I achieved the resolution ;)
Singing. L’Arche Kerala is almost always full of song. I was looking forward to this the most in coming back to L’Arche. One of my favorite things/memories in L’Arche Choluteca, Honduras was the music. We sang, practically, all day long. We would get up, go to capia (chapel), and sing morning prayers. Then we would sit down for breakfast. But before we ate, we would sing a song, a grace, to bless our food. After breakfast was another song/grace to close the meal. Singing would carry on throughout the day at every meal, every prayer, and pretty much everything we did. I loved it! We don’t sing quite as often here in L’Arche Kerala, but there is singing. Mostly at prayer time; every night at 7pm. Or on Friday’s when the whole community gathers for prayer. However L’Arche Kerala has a lovely tradition whereby at a celebration, or birthday, the guests will opt to sing a song in honour of the occasion. I really enjoy the voices. They are incredibly beautiful. I really enjoy Indian singing, the inflection in voice is so captivating. In just holds me in such a close embrace that I never want it to let me go. It warms, energizes, and creates such a sense of peace within. What would I want it to stop?
Hands and feet; more of my favorite things. It is not so much that L’Arche Kerala is full of people with beautiful hands, but that everyone is always holding hands. It is great. I am constantly witnessing friends, community members, neighbours, walking down the road holding hands. More than once a day my hand is picked up by someone and is held. Likewise I do the same with others in the community.
I will admit that we do not hold feet. I have always taken a liking to feet. The reason being is that they are what carry you through life. It is important that we don’t neglect them and give them as much love and attention as every other part of our body. Hence my foot fetish. In this community you are almost always shoeless. Some members of the community don’t even wear shoes or sandals when leaving the house. Part of this is convenience or comfort, as Kanaka’s feet don’t really work in shoes or sandals. Beyond this there are so many interesting feet in the community. Many are very worn from wearing sandals everywhere, rough roads, and general wear and tear. Many of the toes here are differing lengths and sizes. I took a fabulous photo of a soapy footprint just this morning. Still I indulge my fetish.
I guess, after writing this, it is safe to assume that you can make me pretty happy if you keep coconuts well stocked, always have fresh flowers around, hold my hand/s, sing beautiful things, and put a fan on me!!! I don’t know if this makes me incredibly simple, or incredibly unrealistic. Hahahahha. Take your pick!!
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