A journey with self...
Sitting in an airport lounge, amidst loud, monotonous announcements, noisy and busy travelers, whiff of bland food being served… every single soul around is on a journey with self, engaged with himself/herself, oblivious to the world outside their laptop, tablet, smartphone… I settle down comfortably on a reclining sofa, ensuring a charging point nearby, anticipating a long wait ahead of me, and do what I do best – observe people… people arriving, sitting, talking, laughing, frowning, eating, all by themselves… while I must have observed atleast 100 travelers so far, none of them seemed to be aware of they being observed, forget acknowledging my presence around… with nothing better to do, I also take out my laptop and start writing this piece…
I have always loved travelling… be it leisure travel or business
travel… the ‘frequent’ and ‘premiere’ travelers find themselves
complaining of their travel woes… the never-ending queues, the superficial and
cultured smiles at counters, the non-apologetic delays, the recycled air, the
sleep-deprived mornings, the feeling of claustrophobia, the force fitting of
cabin suitcases, the callous handling of checked in baggages, the illogical
request to switch off their only companion – electronic devices, the elbow of
passenger in next seat, the untimely recline by passenger in front seat, the
cranky kid in the back seat… the list is endless…
But air travel is so much more and beyond such frightful miseries…
it is also more than exploring new places, new faces… for me, it could lead
itself to exploring new dimensions of same old places… the vibrant hues in the
sky, the countless formation of clouds, the miniature view of cities and
landscapes, all of it appears so spectacular every time I see it.. I am like
that first time traveler, peeping out of the window, amazement all over my
face… so much so that capturing these sights (violation of rules I am aware !!)
has become a habit, an obsession infact…
Science says body weight reduces as you travel away from Earth's surface... never checked this, in any case it would be a temporary phenomenon (else I would have reduced to zero by now)... but my experience says, up there in the air, mind can also shed its weight, feeling lighter than ever... and this weight loss can be long lasting too... high up
there, miles away from everyone, and everything that belongs to me down here…
beyond anyone’s reach… all I have is myself… I can do whatever then, listen to
music, watch movies, sleep, reflect, read… all worries, anxieties, fears,
reservations, compulsions, expectations can wait till I touch down and reach
them… I so look forward to such a detached and disconnected state, for whatever short amount of
time... such flying times are a perfect setting for self-exploration, self-adulation, self-indulgence... truly a "journey with self"...
1 comments
u remind me of Guilever Travels... journey into known mysticism nd happening .... true to heart.. a self journey is always so unbiased as if the whole world is a mirrior nd you a reflection of Now
ReplyDelete