Revolutionary Seeds : It's Okay to be Uncomfortable by Liana Jeffries

It’s cloudy and rainy. The rain pours harder. It’s monsoon season, which is the rainy season in India. I worry as I look out the window of the car and wonder how the driver is able to see the road. We’re on our way to the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary. It’s a six-hour drive from Bengaluru until we’ll be separated from our daily activity: using the internet. No Wi-Fi, no laptops, and definitely no phones. The car finally approaches GBS up a narrow, rocky path. I take in the view.

Large trees tower over us. The air is so fresh and cool. We make our way to the bungalow we’ll be staying in. Although I cannot fathom the beauty around us, I begin to realize my un-comfortability. As a child, I have always had a terrible phobia of all things related to insects and this was an environment where all insects or critters not only lived but thrived. Regardless, I try to center and calm myself. It was after meeting with the community, especially Girish and Ashvin that I was able to remind myself to enjoy what’s around me. The sounds of the forest were magical. I could hear the frogs croak and ribbit, the wind howling past my ears, the tree branches as they shook and danced for whenever a monkey or squirrel climbed it, the birds and crickets chirping alike but still so different. I was able to hear all of this and know that I am now a part of this work of art.

Our second day we visited the river. Nia jumped off the cliff into the river with Ashvin and Arjun! I was so thrilled for them. Professor Reddy and I stayed on the cliff to watch. I sat there and was able to relax and bask in the sun. I was no longer freaking out if I discovered a leech on myself, I’d simply remove it quickly. I was no longer scared to go to the bathroom with the spiders as big as my hand. Above all, I was able to discover a newfound appreciation for the life around me. Later on, when I learned about the vast orchid species throughout the rain forest and their diverse living conditions, I recognized their durability. I now understood how powerful adaptability was to one's surroundings. And that is exactly what I did, I adapted to my environment. It was not easy or quick and definitely not seamless, but I found myself enjoying my stay.