Claimed Object #4

I, too, had the opportunity to travel with my son, Michael, in 2000, the year I turned 50. He invited me to accompany him to Nepal and Tibet, a life-changing and memorable journey that we were fortunate enough to share. On that visit, I became acquainted with the whole panoply of Hindu gods and goddesses and learned some of their stories, while others remained forever unknowable and unfathomable. Nepal, as you know all too well, can boggle the mind in so many ways, and Tibet was mind-blowing in its own inimitable fashion. To this day, hearing traditional Chinese music brings me right back to that jaw-jarring trek across the Friendship Highway in a decrepit four-wheel drive vehicle that broke down more than once!

As my husband and I are about to move from our home of nearly 50 years, there are many travel treasures that I must part with. Your book has given me inspiration for both the shedding of, and the writing about, such items. However, I would be thrilled to acquire just one more because it belonged to your mother, because she was traveling on a special expedition with you and because Ganesha is the God of Auspicious Beginnings, Protector of Writers and Travelers and Remover of Obstacles. All of those qualities are needed in my life at this moment!

Penny S., Redlands, CA