Weekly Photo Challenge: Joy

If you’ve been to my blog before, you probably know that one of our joys is being able to travel the world and see it through our own eyes rather than just the filter of the daily news.  I went back to our India/Nepal trip of last year and picked out just a few of my photos that I haven’t shared that say Joy to me.  I say “a few’ because there are so many more that I could have used….hope some of these bring some joy to you.

The Joy of youth….

This photo was taken as we walked around a small Indian village to see how the locals lived and worked.  This little girl was one of numerous children who followed us around and seemed greatly amused at their own pictures that I showed them.

Joy of learning…..

This is from that same village where we visited a local school and were blown away by the enthusiasm and joy that the students took in their studies.

Joy of worship…

I captured this solemn moment at Buddhist temple in Nepal.  Obviously a visitor like us (by the camera strap in the photo), she was enJOYing a moment in meditation while spinning the prayer wheels at the shrine.

Joy in giving…

Our Indian guide was gracious to let us join in his celebration of his wife’s birthday.  In her honor, he decided to pass out small food packages to the poorest of the poor in the city of Varanasi.  This man was expressing his appreciation to my wife as she handed out some of the packages.

Joy of being seen….

Couldn’t think of another way to express this.  These young men saw me taking pictures along the banks of the Ganges River and wouldn’t stop waving and greeting us until I snapped their smiling faces.  I can imagine the disney tune “its a small world after all” playing every time I see this photo.

Joy of meeting new people

I’m not sure who enjoyed this impromptu meeting more – my wife (on the left) or these young female college students that we met at a university outside of Varanasi.  They were as interested in who we were and where we were from as we were in their studies and lives and as students.

 

Joy of fatherhood and of workmanship

This man was very involved in his son’s progress in learning his father’s trade.  Their expressions and manner showed pride in what they did and also in their relationship.

Joy in living….

I thought this little girls smile was amazing and it made me think of how different her life as a gypsy was from ours in the US.  They were in an ox drawn cart on a major highway -obviously carrying all their possessions – but enjoying life in a very different way.

Spiritual Joy…

Our trip was an amazing experience and we were exposed to many different cultures and religions.  One of the things that struck us was the joy and serenity that most of the people in that part of the world take from their beliefs.  I thought this photo captured the individual focus of those beliefs – a stark contrast to our more communal system in the west.  A quiet joy to close my post….