Cold Delhi

When people think of India, they don't think of the cold weather. Usually you think about the extreme heat. But surprisingly, it gets cold here in the winter. And it is winter right now. Okay, so today is only 61 degrees, which isn't too cold, but inside our house is colder than it is outside. I am sitting on our new couch with a wool blanket over me. I am wearing two pair of socks, jeans, a t-shirt under a long sleeve shirt, with a jacket on. I have been wearing my stocking cap all day, but decided to tough it out. My head was starting to hurt.

Earlier today, I was at work and noticed that I could feel the coldness from the floor through my shoes. I tried sticking my feet on the room heater to try to warm them up. But I felt a little rude with my feet on the heater, so I put them back in my shoes. I don't know if it is that my shoes are old and have holes in the bottoms and that is why I can feel the cold, or if everyone can feel it. I wonder if people in Alaska can feel the ice under their feet if they are just wearing normal shoes and not snow boots. Whatever the case, it was almost impossible for me to concentrate on the meeting we were having when I was thinking about my feet.

As I get into my cold bed at night and shiver myself to sleep, I think about the people who live on the streets. If I am cold (and I am) when I have a house, a roof, several blankets, a mattress, and layers of dry clothes, then how cold must they be. It doesn't stop me from complaining or shivering, but I am thinking of what I could do to help. I know of an NGO that has put of tents throughout the city for people to at least get some shelter from the cold.