A Journey which never settles....

The Jesuit Rollercoaster: A Journey Through Cities, Souls, and Sleeplessness

What a journey it was — one where I was literally gasping for breath and nearly closed my eyes hoping to see heaven… and maybe a bed. But no, God had other plans — and apparently, so did the Jesuits.

There’s this old joke in the Society of Jesus (SJ) that goes like this:

“There are three things the Holy Spirit doesn’t know —
First, how many sisters’ congregations there are;
Second, how much money the Salesians have; and
Third, what the Jesuits will do next.”

Well, that third one I personally experienced — because every day, I woke up in a new city. I didn’t even have the time to breathe, let alone let my soul catch up with my body. Ontology, cosmology — all the grand systems of thought — were just spinning. My mind was rotating from Idealism to Realism, to Materialism to Nominalism, faster than the bullet train I wished we were traveling on. Honestly, I was tired — philosophically, physically, and existentially.

Companions and the Friction of Souls

Each day I met new people, and slowly, I began to understand my companions better. One thing I realized — every person is on their own journey internally. You only understand this when you truly live with someone, feel their emotions, and allow them to feel yours.

Yes, there’s friction — a lot of it. But that friction is beautiful; it leads to understanding and sharing. It allows you to see the inner being of the other person as resilient. I began to see that every person is a microcosm — a small universe trying to make sense of itself, trying to maintain its identity in the larger cosmic mess.

We often see friction as negative, as someone’s inability to cope. But really, it’s our inability to be at the core of our own human nature — to accept difference, to see vulnerability as strength.

Kanyakumari: The Sea, The Generosity, The Realization

Our first stop was Kanyakumari. I met some of the most beautiful people there — generous to the core. They fed us, guided us, and treated us like family. Sure, we had to adjust a little — but I did that with full joy.

The sea — that vast, blue, pure expanse — reminded me of nature’s original purity, something we’ve disturbed beyond repair. Standing there, staring at the waves, I felt the humility of being human again. We visited all the historical places too, though honestly, I’m not much of a “history guy.”

Actually, I’m barely a “guy of anything,” except maybe Chemistry. I adore it. The subject’s name itself is so elegant that I can’t resist diving deeper into it.

Exams, Exhaustion, and Existential Suffering

This trip came right after our semester exams — those 100-mark papers that make you question every decision you’ve made in life. Writing them felt like being in a duel with fate itself. I cursed the person who invented exams — honestly, I wanted to go back in time and break his neck.

After that intellectual warfare, we thought a journey would be “relaxing.” Ha! Big mistake. It was deadly tiring.

Yes, I saw some of the most beautiful places in the country, and I won’t deny that — but it all happened so fast, like we were on a Jesuit Bullet Train. No time to settle, no time to process. And who made the plan? We did. Lesson learned: planning and reality rarely match. And if they ever do — congratulations, you’re a born administrator.

Rameshwaram: The Divine and the Determined

From Kanyakumari, we moved to Rameshwaram, where I saw the Ram Setu — breathtaking and surreal. We were like migrants, moving from one place to another, guided by strangers who somehow felt like family.

The people there — so kind, so patient — helped us with everything. It made me realize how far patience and compassion can go. It made me want to be that person for others someday — to help without hesitation, to give without expecting.

Madurai: The Maze of Gods

Next came Madurai — and the legendary Meenakshi Temple. The architecture was stunning, the devotion palpable… but I’ll admit it, I was utterly confused. So many gods, so many colors, so many faces — I didn’t know who was praying to whom, or for what.

And yes, I was exhausted. My body was rebelling, my soul was negotiating, and my mind was on strike.

Kodaikanal: The Cold and the Chaos

Then came Kodaikanal, the climax of our journey. Freezing cold. Nature at its best — and me, at my weakest. We nearly lost our place to stay due to some miscommunication (probably divine punishment for all the sarcastic jokes I’d made).

Still, even in that chaos, the beauty of the hills, the mist, and the silence was overwhelming. I wanted to stay, but my body wanted a blanket and a week of sleep.

Home, Reflection, and Recovery

We finally returned home — and I’m still recovering. Physically, mentally, spiritually. It was truly a rollercoaster ride. Jesuits can do anything if they decide to — literally anything. And maybe that’s why the vow of obedience exists — to keep that limitless energy in check!

But amid all this, something else was weighing on me. My mom was sick at home. My dad was taking care of her, and I wished I could have been there with her. That worry, that pain — it stayed with me through the journey.

Still, philosophy has made me more patient, more reflective. It’s teaching me not just how to think, but how to live. I’m learning when to speak, when to stay silent, and when to let go.

So yes, I’m still recovering — and I ask for your prayers, for my mom, and for me. Because one thing I’ve truly realized is this: as you travel, you come to know yourself even more.

And maybe, that’s what philosophy really is — not just studying ideas, but living through them, one Jesuit adventure at a time.

– Rohan Brahmane, Student of Philosophy