Random hits on the keyboard

Time is relative. I am not bragging about Einstein's Theory of Relativity. This is about several time zones within Kathmandu city. Five o’clock is not universally “early morning.” This morning, it was a usual morning for me. But the empty roads suggested that for many others, it was still midnight. Near the temples, devotees were already walking back from their prayers. Their day had clearly begun long before mine. I imagine they must be thinking, "Ah, the late risers are out." And the vegetable vendors? For them, 5 a.m. is practically late morning. Shops open, scales ready, transactions underway. Their workday was already in full swing while it was still dark. Then comes Thamel, lights still glowing, people spilling out of pubs, laughing, smoking. For them, the night was young. It appears Nepal’s little Las Vegas, blinking through a hangover. “Early” and “late” are not absolute words. They are relative to what we make with our own lifestyles. Time is less a clock and mor...

As winter approaches, an exquisite Kathmandu begins to appear. The days start with a chill morning, and by mid-morning, the sun shines bright over the Valley, sweeping away the fog that floats above the city. Almost every day, I am fortunate to witness the dawn unfold. To the north, the Himalayan range starts to be visible, the peaks first glowing red, then slowly turning white as the sun brightens up. The morning scenery is majestic and a form of blessing. On my slow morning runs, I sometimes run through the inner towns, past small temples, narrow lanes, and old falchas. Devotees begin to appear with a Pooja thali, stepping out of their homes to worship the gods and goddesses in their neighbourhood. They have oil lamps flicker softly,  and small offerings of rice grains, flowers, and incense. I often see elderly people doing clockwise rounds around the temples. There is something calming about their steady pace. I like to believe that the gods and goddesses bless them with good he...

  No! not facebook. It is not how much you drank yesterday evening, it is how much you ran this morning. 

Every evening, I look forward to the next morning - to run. I am reclaiming my health. Within one week, I am able to run about 6-8 km. I am getting better and I am excited. When I run, I do not intend to win the Olympics but to be a runner. No big aim - maybe a local marathon. By the way, I was preparing for Manjushree Marathon but has been postponed.  I used to run for a run, with no tracking and now I started keeping track using a digital watch - which I hate. I hate the watch that requires recharging. I hate the watch that I can't gift to my grandchildren. Tracking is good to keep me motivated. Additionally, I send out screenshots of my progress to my friends to encourage or annoy them. I exacerbate it, I add a short  video message on WhatsApp and Viber me running in the dark mornings:).  Running is fun. I feel good. I am more hungry and I eat selective food. I have a light body and a light mind. Happy running.....