The awakening to the mystery of life is a revolutionary event. -J. J. van der Leeuw

Asheville, North Carolina is a lovely place in the United States. Cristof and I arrived here yesterday enjoying our drive on the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway. We were on the road, simply in awe of what was around us: lush, green forests; double-triple layers of mountains; delicate, fluffy clouds smoothly floating by. We decided that we would stay here for a week and sip in the beauty bit by bit.

And already, I feel that our inner-containers are expanding: we are being filled with the magical essence of it all. This morning as we drove around in the valley looking for a supermarket to purchase some groceries, we saw the mountains at the horizon, touching the sky along with the light, flimsy clouds. To be made aware of nature's beauty while conducting mundane tasks is so wonderful. It made me acutely conscious of the existence of these magnificent mountains that I was in the midst of.

This is what Cristof has spoken to me about countless times before: how he loves to be on the mountains. Now, I truly understand what he meant. I became aware that the beauty of natural phenomenon can be part of every day life. And that is a revolutionary event for me.

-Sophia Ojha