Mantras

Sorry for those of you who read this already, but for those who didn't this was written for Dragons during our stay in the mountain:

Mantras
Since our arrival at Princeton, and continuing throughout our early days in India, we have listened to many discussions about mission statements and messages to adhere to during our year abroad. Lizzie, however, has already eloquently and skillfully told you about our group mission statement, so I am going to move away from the many broad and dramatic statements that we have written down and instead focus on a smaller and more personal statement that I have taken to heart.
When I first saw these words, which I have now adopted as my mantra, I definitely did not immediately recognize the wisdom hidden within them; in fact, I had quite the opposite reaction. I laughed at what I regarded as an Indian government official’s poor attempt at writing in English and then realizing that the sign was supposed to serve as a speed limit tightened my grip on the seat in front of me and looked worriedly at the road ahead. It was only later, in a conversation with Genevieve about yogis and the mantras that they can bestow on their followers that I realized that in the form of a road sign India had bestowed a mantra upon me.
So, I can’t go on discussing it any longer without actually writing it, I adopted the words “No Race No Rally, Enjoy the Valley,” to be my personal spiritual mantra to guide me in both my attempts to meditate and absorb Indian life over the next nine months. As a mantra this saying will function for me as a device to protect my mind and through repetition to cleanse it of unnecessary and distracting thought, thus allowing me to focus on solely on my inner goals.
It may appear that, by choosing the first road sign I see to become something as important as my mantra, I am being a bit hasty, however, there is no need to worry. Over our multiple drives through the mountains India has presented me with many options from which to choose my mantra, however, neither “We like you, but not your speed,” nor “Divorce your speed not your Wife” seemed to apply quite as well to the year ahead.
At the risk of being cliché, I have settled upon my chosen mantra for the reason that it contains within it a simple truth, which embodies much of my reasoning in my decision to take a year off from school. Throughout high school it often felt as if I was constantly rushing forward for no reason other than to get to what came next. Needless to say this type of life left me exhausted and looking for a break and a different perspective. Thus, I am hoping that now, with the help of a road sign, I can begin to put my mission on the right path.