Tunga is teaching me a tremendous amount about impermanence and change, and consequently appreciating and living in the now. Nowhere is this more true than when our hospital asks her to take trips to the countryside or surrounding provinces on little to no notice. This is standard in Mongolia, to receive a call thirty minutes ahead of time to pack your bags because you are going on a trip, but it is still a little bit of a shock to me. It's very rare to know even a day in advance about a trip you'll be taking or even know how long the trip will take, so you just have to be ready, flexible and understanding.

In a relationship this means being ready to drop your plans and accept the fact that anything could happen at any time. This can be very refreshing, considering that I have lived much of my life in anticipation of future events or in reflection upon past events. It forces me to stay right where I am. I appreciate the hug I am experiencing, the presence of the person I am with, the fun I am having at that moment and the appreciation I have of someone being just who they are. I don't worry about how I will miss their hugs when they are gone, or about how long they have before they have to go, or