This Leads to That

Ceasing to do things will not make you "actionless." nor will you rise to perfection simply by renouncing actions. No one is free of actions even for a moment, because everyone is moved to do things by the quality of nature. In order to excel, mentally control the senses, let go of all attachments, and engage the body in Karma Yoga - selfless service. The Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 3, verses 4-7.

Everything we do or say, everything that happens to us, is a link in a chain of events. Often we look at the things that happen to us as happening in their own right -- isolated in time and space. But millions of tiny events lead up to them. Change one link in the chain, and everything changes.

On Monday, my husband, younger daughter and I are going to Guatemala to build houses with From Houses to Homes, an amazing organization that changes the lives of the poor in Guatemala - one house at a time. When we were thinking of what do to during the February break from school, my younger daughter Samy asked, "can't we go somewhere and do good in the world?" From that question, our trip took shape.

I heard about this organization through another yoga teacher, with whom I did my first yoga teacher training 3 years ago. My friend Stacy has traveled to Guatemala 4 times with From Houses to Homes, and each time returns glowing with the joy of helping these people. In the past, I have made donations to the group on her behalf, to help her to go and to help purchase supplies for her to build. But giving money, while admirable, is no substitute for going, and interacting with these people, and seeing how our lives are intertwined.

Our trip was almost derailed by the big snowstorm that closed airports and canceled flights last Wednesday. It took hours of searching airline schedules, and speaking to different operators, but despite a 4 day delay, we are going because a persistent operator at Delta was able to re-schedule our flights. Samy's question and her desire to do good in the world, the fact that I did a yoga teacher training and met Stacy, the persistent Delta operator, are all links in a chain leading to our trip. And the trip will be a link in a continuing chain that is always unfolding. Can't wait!