Elephant Therapy

Everyday I sit in the back seat of my dark grey Toyota Innova minivan mesmerized by scenes outside of my window as my driver, Javed slowly inches forward through hundreds, no maybe thousands of brown and yellow rickshaws. I stare not because I am struck by the beauty that is India, or because I am enthralled by the uniqueness of the culture but because I don't understand what I am seeing. I am  often left open jawed, shaking my head because I see 5 yr olds dashing out into traffic or 3 well dressed men standing at the side of a main road relieving themselves  or a delivery man  throwing pineapples to the ground before delivering them to a 5 star hotel restaurant. I often close my eyes behind my sunglasses when the young street children knock at my window glass asking for food and money just so that I can pretend they aren't there or more accurately that I am not there. 


And then I stop myself and question the insensitive person I have become. 


Who is this person who is not heartbroken by the extreme poverty that lies everywhere around her? What type of person closes her eyes to the pleading of young, dirty and hungry children?
How have I become so negative and invisible?


It is at this very moment that I think about the elephant. 


Months ago while following my routine and driving to my gym, Javed turned the corner from a crowded side alley onto a main road narrowly missing  an old woman carrying greens in a basket on her head. He navigated his way through rickshaws, buses, cars and beggars to pull up at the stop light where we always turned towards the club. As usual my eyes were closed to the children at the window trying to sell their lime/chilli mementos for a few rupees.  I focused my attention on the latest Bollywood tune playing from the radio. The knocking stopped and I felt safe to open my eyes. At first, all I saw was something grey and dusty blocking my view but as I looked up to determine what it was, unbelievably, I saw an elephant also waiting at the light. I gazed up and saw two young boys harnessed in by a bamboo  saddle who in turn were looking down at me. As soon as I saw them, they saw me. Their eyes widened. They recognized an opportunity to make some money so they slapped the side of  the elephant's head forcing the massive trunk towards the hood of our vehicle.  I immediately asked my driver why they rode elephants through the streets and he told me that these animals were trained to pick  rupees up off of the ground and pass it back to their riders. He said 'Watch.' I watched in awe as he opened the passenger side window and threw a 2 rupee coin out of the window. Sure enough the elephant picked the money up with his trunk ever so carefully, lifted his head and gently handed the coin back to the two young boys. The light turned green and off he went.


I sat there thinking- I am really in India and not suburban Canada- and I'm really  lucky. Do I miss the organization and cleanliness of Calgary?- Very much. Do I miss being able to drive 5km in 5 mins?- Definitely- but do I miss the monotony and routine of the modernized world?- Not for a second-
This elephant made me remember why I love being abroad, travelling to foreign and wondrous parts of the world and why I wouldn't change it for a moment. 
Every time I feel myself spiralling down towards the darkness of self pity and insensitivity- and there are days when I actually spiral- I remember the wonder of living beside an elephant and I am good again.