Beads on One String
By Alyson Charles
In life we are constantly put into situations where we must decide which side of the emotional scale we choose to fall on, even in the most mundane of tasks: “Should I embrace doing the dishes and feel gratitude for even having them, or feel overwhelmed by the dish pile? Accept that the computer is malfunctioning, or get frustrated? Maintain inner peace or inner turmoil over the job interview that hasn’t called back?” Imagine taking a pilgrimage to the other side of the world, surrounded by people you don’t know and cultures you’re unfamiliar with, all while immersing yourself in different religions and being pushed to the limit physically, intellectually, spiritually and emotionally. That is precisely what 50 pilgrims between the ages of 19 and 90 did in the moving documentary Beads on One String on GaiamTV.com. Summoned by lifelong spiritual pilgrim Don Stevens, these 50 strangers from different religions and backgrounds voyaged to India to experience the same stunning holy spots that changed Don’s life 40 years prior. Would they be as moved and changed forevermore? Here are some of my favorite moments from this enriching documentary:
