It was a sunny and clear day with a slight chill in the Schaumburg, Illinois air. I flew into the city this afternoon to hang with the family for thanksgiving. The plane flew past the city, then circled over the great big Lake Michigan shore before finally landing over 20 minutes ahead of scheduled arrival time.
The mood was somber among the members of my family but the thought of how unaffected the rest of the people I had encountered today on my journey through DFW to O'Hare lingers.
It was 8:45am when I first heard the news break over TV's in the passenger waiting area to departure gate. Over 100 casualties were known thus far in the Mumbai terrorist attacks at the Taj Mahal Hotel. Gasp! I was curious if the story broke in time to hit the print journal media. I walked to the nearby news stand to find a front page story in The New York Times. USA Today and Dallas Morning had not caught wind.
I remember ooing and awwwing over the magnificence and elegance of the Taj Mahal hotel during my first visit to Mumbai in 2004. The thought that this part of the world will go on to eat turkeys, say thanks and likely remain unaffected, maybe even unaware is a little disturbing to me.
I wondered about the lives that did not get a chance to florish or leave behind the contributions they had hoped for. I was relieved to learn that my younger cousin, currently a 3rd year Medical student at Grant Medical College of Mumbai was not near the financial district.
There was this vacant feeling in my heart but I managed to save an appetite for mothers cooking. I ate as if I had not eaten a decent meals in days. That probably is not far from the truth. I ate till my hearts content. I really should have waited longer after the feast but I had to get going before darkness set in.
I wanted to map this Saturday's 12 mile run along Lake Shore Drive on this site and decided I like the idea of documenting and sharing my running routes.
I am now an official free member of mapmyrun.com
Here is the map from today's run at Busse Woods in the Forest Preserve.
It was a very pleasant run and definitely woodsy and preserved. I even saw elks. There were restrooms along the route but they were locked!! What's the deal?
1 comment:
I heart mapmyrun.com!!
and it wasn't like this side of the world was unaffected. it was plastered all over the news and that was what monopolized the time on our XM news sites. I didn't mind, though. I liked the fighting spirits of some of the locals they interviewed: this doesn't shake us. It only makes us stronger and we WILL rebuild what has been lost and it will be bigger, better, stronger, and more beautiful than before. Their lives will not have been in vain!
I'm glad your family is ok. Miss you and see you soon.
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