525,600 Minutes

This song from the musical Rent has been stuck in my head for the past few days. It's a good reminder of how I should see the time that I have in India. It also reminds me of Madison because her blog was named after a line from the song.


Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes.
Five hundred twenty five thousand moments so dear.
Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes.
How do you measure, measure a year?
In daylights, 
in sunsets,
in midnights 
in cups of coffee?
In inches,
in miles,
in laughter,
in strife?
Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes. 
How do you measure a year in the life
How about love? 
How about love? 
Measure in love. 


I have had a few new adventures in the last few days. One of the most exciting was that I attended a wedding with my fellow volunteer Ian. We at pizza at Favorite's in Kottayam, then went to Mandiram and had a nice discussion with Samuel Achen. He called an auto so that we could go to the wedding. It was the marriage of our good friend Ann's brother, Ashish.

Ann and Jecko Kunnath came to our first YAV retreat and helped us out with a packet on teaching English in schools. Their experience, energy, and helpfulness has been so valuable. They are both dedicated and brilliant teachers. They are long time friends of the YAV program here. They came to Pallom and hand delivered my invitation on the first week of January.

As we drove up to the wedding I didn't really know what to expect. Would it be crazy? Were there any traditions I would see that I didn't know about? Would I know anyone other than Ian? Would Ann and Jecko be too busy to talk to us? When we arrived, we quickly realized immediately found familiar faces. We saw the Headmaster of Bishop Speechly College, Claudia's program director GiGi Sir, one of our program helpers Joy Joseph, to name a few. The place was brimming with people.

Ashish and Sneha: the bride and groom

The service was beautiful and included many traditions I had already heard about. For example, each groom here must buy a Sari for his future wife. At the wedding, one of the reverends present takes a thread from the Sari and places that thread in a necklace. First the groom puts the necklace on the bride, then he places the Sari over her head and shoulders, kind of like a blanket. They also exchanged rings. The music was wonderful and was performed by a familiar group of students from CMS college.


I couldn't help but notice that the bride and groom were happy, but more than anything I saw so much love in Ann's face. Ann and Ashish's parents have passed away, so it seemed to me like Ann was giving away her child just as much as she was giving away her younger brother. She was crying tears of happiness and was completely radiant in her Sari as she went around greeting guests. At the reception, the bride and groom sit on a couch on stage and take photos with anyone who wants a photo.

Ann is the lady with her hair down smiling SO big :)

Ann called me up to take a photo and I sincerely felt more welcomed there on that stage holding Ann's hand than I have at any other wedding. I am not one of those girls who loves weddings. In fact I hate all of the ways weddings become huge, extravagant, over the top ordeals. I hate all of the shows in America that are dedicated to perpetuating this fantasy for girls and women. I hate being swarmed by people and forced to take awkward photos. Even during this wedding I was overwhelmed by the constant presence of photographers and some over the top gestures, like a huge outdoor buffet and string lights in the trees.

But while I held Ann's hand, she helped me to remember what marriage is actually about. It isn't about looking gorgeous, or having a nice cake, or capturing every passing moment with a photo. It is about a deep, love that God has given us to share with others. It is about uniting people. It is about celebrating  the happiness of a couple and their newly united families. She helped me remember that I should not measure my year, or my life by days passing by, or by the ups and downs that life throws. I should measure it in the love I give to others and the way others give love to me.

I am so thankful for the love I have in my life. I am grateful that I have gotten to spend some time with both Ian and Claudia this past week. They help to remind me how rewarding the loving care of friendship can be. I am blessed to say that love surrounds me almost everywhere I turn. There is so much of it, I couldn't even begin to measure!

I know I post about love a lot, but I think God has brought me here to teach me lessons in love. I have learned a lot so far, and I hope to continue to find moments each day where love shines through.