Love, Pratima

One of the nicest compliments given to me came from a friend’s father, a Vietnam vet and Indiana farmer.  He looked at me very intently while chewing on a piece of straw and said, “I like you. You’re common folk.”  His words struck me in such a poignant ironic way.  I was the girl who would wear high heels and a party dress to a hay ride.  I wore head to toe traditional Indian clothing my first day of high school and was the Indian girl who became Miss Indiana.  Despite all of that, what he meant was that my soul still translated itself in a relatable way, even in the rural farmland of the American Midwest.  There is a simple truth to life that will lend itself to everything you do if you discover it.  Everyday I find my way through this uncommon life, finding the courage to be a commoner in queen’s clothes. May you be so lucky to do the same.
Love, Pratima