I believe the first test of a truly great human is in their humility ...

Yesterday we all reached one by one at the Salt Lake City airport from different parts of the world. It was amazing to see how virtually connected people get more close when they meet you in person. Life cannot get better if we as human can be nice and kind to each other.

Since many of them are coming from different country, USA residents offered to drive the rental cars and I was amazed and surprised that I was driving a minivan which was a first time for me.
Great drive from Salt Lake City to Delta- Utah, where besides the scenic roads rain was a relief to the heat.
Along with my group members, we reached safely to our hotel. It was nice to connect and regroup with everyone as soon we are going to be rocking with our mission.

Today was day 1 of the Good Gig and everyone was pretty excited to see how the day is going to unfold for us. Delta Utah, is a small town with close community ties, where people take care of each other which gave a feeling of India when I was growing up as a kid. 
People cared for each other and that resonated here too in Utah.

Our day was scheduled with plans but while we were there on our activities things always got changed for the good. The best I liked was that we were spending time with the Millard School District members and faculties who strived through to make digital divide for their children.
The way people came together to support our presence here is incredible, special service, cooked food by the technical director who made sure he met everyone's needs such as those who are vegetarians, or non-onion eating and meat lovers - everyone was taken special care and hospitality.

The amazing part was that for cooking this dinner people who are on summer vacation showed up and some of the officials drove from far to welcome us along with the local press.
I felt as we live this fast pace life in cities, people here in small towns are much more connected with the community, they enjoy life even though there may not be too many options however they eat healthy food. Nice dinner cooked in Dutch oven on charcoals was something always made me very special as it's the natural way of cooking which makes the food much tastier and healthy.

There's lot of dreams that they have planned for their children, however they don't know how we will meet those yet, a ray of hope for them was we as a Good-gigs team.

I learned a lot about the people of Utah, the mormons, the humble and down to earth people who kept on thanking us for coming all the way to Delta to help setting up with technology and support with training for their teacher initiators.
It was amazing to see how the School Superintendent personally came and asked me where I am originally from and how did I come this far... I gave a glimpse of my adventurous move and it made him excited as we were about to leave and he said, 'we need to continue this discussion further...' and the best was that he remembered each and everyone's name and shared with me his Indore, India trip to me as well. 

The kind of gratitude and humbleness in the Millard School District people I saw was something very touching and emotional for me. I felt like giving them a hug and cry.

"There is nothing better on this earth than a soul that you can connect with on every level"

~ Dawn

I'm on the hunt for who I have not yet become....!!!

A desire to serve the needy has always been part of my growing up. Whenever and whatever way I could, I have always tried to fulfill this desire of mine.

"It is a denial of justice not to stretch out a helping hand to the fallen that is the common right of humanity"

I find this deed very much healing and meditating. I realized one thing that, as much I was able to help with my own hands and will, growing up in corporate industry made me busy with workload and this desire turned into donations.

Donations to different charity organizations or noble causes has always left me with one thought and that is - is this reaching to the right hands?

And, you always satisfy yourselves by saying as long as my intentions are good it should be all good.
However, the desire to do by yourselves, with your own hands and will kept a blaze and here I get an opportunity to learn, serve and inspire others by training teacher initiators in school districts of USA, in technology for their day to day curriculum that they teach their students.

This is a new journey in my life and I want to enjoy this one too by giving my heart, soul and body, while I am in this journey with my VMware team. 

"I would rather have it said, 'He lived usefully,' than, 'He died rich" 

~ Dawn

Take the journey, soar like an eagle, there are so many roads to explore so little time...

Everyday is a new day! It's not just a saying, but indeed it is true!
I have been driving almost 20 years and never got into any accidents, yes something I would say I am cautious about. It's not that others are not, but I often make sure and remind myself about defensive driving. Hence, I try to maintain the distance whether it is in front of my car or behind.

I have many times given indications through my rear view mirror to back off when they are too close to me. No matter how much we are in hurry, we will reach along with everyone because we all are part of this game when we are on the road.

"There is more to life than simply increasing its speed" ~ M.K. Gandhi

This is my daily commute to and fro from home to office and office to home. These days you can't do anything about the traffic and hence it is better not to get too stressed on the road. I try to listen to songs or NPR news which keeps my mind off the traffic stress.

And yesterday was supposed to be a similar day like many other days for me, until when I felt my car was hit. Yes, we often think if one car has to hit the other then either one of the car or both has to get damaged only then it's a real accident. But I think the shock to your mind and heart that stirs-up the whole weird feeling.

It was nice that we both exchanged our information so we can reach to our insurance company but something like this on the busy highway is not a good feeling that you are left behind with...!

The thought keeps coming back and the scene keeps reminding of what if it would have been worse than this.

These days no matter how safe you try to be, your surroundings may not allow you to be sometimes. 
We all look on the sides when we see cars stopped because of accidents and still I see people speed until they pass these cars. 
Sometimes I see how people cut you on the way and try to swing through one end to the other end of the lanes to reach faster, and yet sometimes I catch them at the 'stop' signs or traffic lights where we both are at the same place, even though the other person was trying hard to race to reach their destination. 
The only fun part is sometimes our time decides our destination not we :)

Happy that it ended this way, where no one had any physical injuries, but what isn't seen shouldn't be neglected either!!!

"Every flower blooms at a different pace" ~ Suzy Kassem

~ Dawn