How a Cup of Masala Tea Changed My Life

Book Synopsis: My father died of ALS when he was 62 years old. Before he died, he told me he didn’t think he’d die before he could enjoy his retirement. I promised myself to not do what so many people do and wait until I retired to find joy and fulfillment. This how-to-memoir is about my journey toward and into the second half of my life. It began after my second divorce when I was nearly 50 years old, a number that has long been the stereotypical defining moment of a middle-aged crisis. Instead of buying a red sports car, buying expensive jewelry, or having an affair, I trekked in Nepal. Like others, I felt confused and lost as I approached that critical age. I’m a social worker, and a single parent, and thought I didn’t have enough money or time to trek in Nepal. I went anyway. I hope my journey encourages you to get out of your comfort zone and find a way to contribute to making the world a kinder one. Before I made the decision to trek, my Guru encouraged her followers that if they felt the urge to travel somewhere, to go there; something would unfold for us. My first trip to Nepal in 2000 changed the trajectory of my life. My spirit was touched, my mind expanded, my heart opened, and I had a long look at my limiting beliefs. Before my first trip, I felt breathless, as if I was running through life, juggling the demands of work and family. I didn’t realize, and never would have guessed at the time, that my first trip to Nepal in 2000 was the beginning of a deeply personal and professional transformation. Since then, I’ve trekked in the Himalayan Mountains 16 times, have taken small groups (over 120 people) to Nepal yearly since 2011 (except for COVID years), and have met and made friends with fascinating people from vastly different parts of the world. We’ve trekked in Annapurna (2011-2014), the Solu Khumbu region (2013, 2015, 2019), the Indigenous Peoples Trek/Sailung Trek (2016), Lang Tang (2017, 2018), Pikey Peak (2019), and Tsum Valley in Manaslu Conservation Area (2022).