I already mentioned that the other night I couldn’t sleep but I didn’t explain much about WHY. The truth is — I was just too worried about my brother who was presenting in India. At the time the date booked, I swear I didn’t know that he was to be so close to the Pakistani border. I live in the sleepy town of Crothersville and I’m supposed to know that Srinagar is dangerous? Well… I didn’t. I didn’t become aware how menacing it was in that area until I received a call earlier that day from a US company inquiring about a booking, and I mentioned to the nice lady caller that he was currently in India.
Her: Where in India? That’s where I am from!
Me: Srinagar.
Her: It’s truly a paradise there. It’s a shame it’s so dangerous.
Me: Dangerous?
Her: Oh my yes! I still have family in India. I grew up in India. I would NEVER go there!!!!
Me: HOLY SHIT! Really?
The rest of the conversation was interesting as she shared other facts I didn’t know. Like… English is their first language. Even knowing a little about the British rule of India from World History in high school, (thank you, Cheryl Vierling), I wouldn’t have guessed that they also speak my language — probably because I can’t understand anyone I get routed to when I call tech support for products sold by American companies. She explained that while states have local languages, they all speak English. I felt a little better knowing that my brother could at least communicate with locals.
But then I found out the following day was “Martyr’s Day” at the very next town from where he would be sleeping — and the army instituted a curfew because of threats of bombs and gunfire. AND the US State Department had a big travel warning that in part said, “India continues to experience terrorist and insurgent activities which may affect U.S. citizens directly or indirectly. Anti-Western terrorist groups, some on the U.S. government’s list of foreign terrorist organizations, are active in India.”
Tore up like a train wreck, I go to bed around 3:00 AM EST and turn on the TV. What’s on? In depth coverage of the horrible tornado devastation in Oklahoma. And then… my weather radio goes off letting me know there’s a tornado watch for me. A LOUD blaring mix between a horn and a siren that probably shook the windows at the neighbor’s place. Then I REALLY had the big eye. All. Night. Long.
So I’m not sure which of the two made me feel more anxious that night — my brother being so far away in a place that apparently wasn’t safe, or threats of tornado destruction in my little slice of the world — but I was certain I wasn’t going to slip off into a blissful slumber. So today I’m sharing this photo of my awesome favorite brother with his mother, (ok… she’s my mother too), just because I’m thrilled he’s home and safe — and Mom lived through the tornado we didn’t have.
