Up in the Air

I’m in the middle of a bustling city. No I’m not! I’m on an airplane; 20,000 feet above sea level, headed for the Indian subcontinent. There are people all around me. The plane’s almost fully stacked. Some people reading newspapers, some chatting with their co-passengers, some catching up on some sleep and some simply lost in thought or planning their trip, I guess.

If you get over your childhood fantasy of air flights, it’s just torture. Being confined to a seat for a couple of hours is not fun; especially with the roaring sound of the engines.

As I look out the window, I see a sea of white clouds. I wonder what lies below them. I feel the irony. I’m usually curious to know what the sky hides in the clouds. It feels the same way when I’m above them. Oh well, that’s that.

The plane jolts heavily, kids make more noise. It feels like the flight is determined to give us a feel of what’s coming- the roads of India. We shake some more! The pilot tells us we’re experiencing turbulent weather. “What about India isn’t turbulent? “ I think to myself. There’s a kid of about 4, running in the aisle.

Below the sea of clouds, lie numerous cities each with thousands of people. Looking down at the occasional sighting of land, as we fly, I see a green expanse. It’s difficult to make out anything except plots of land that look like well-cut pieces of green cake. A strange thought follows.

Below on those pieces of land, live thousands of people. Each of them, have their own problems, pains, desires, hopes, dreams and expectations. It’s a very humbling feeling. It reminds us, of how silly we are to constantly think of ourselves and our miserably tiny lives.

Photo Courtesy: retechreubber.com.au

© Krisheaven

Flight of hearts

I’ve always loved airplanes and airports. There’s something about the place. To me, it’s a symbol of new beginnings, of endings, of hopes, of adventure, of welcomes, of goodbyes, of dreams and so many little things I can’t put into words.

Someone once said that the most heartfelt of prayers are said not at churches, but hospitals; and the most heartfelt of kisses and cries are not at weddings but airports. How true !

Today, as I sit in this lounge, I don’t feel the adventure I normally feel. That’s ironical. Whoever said that that heart does not feel, it’s just the brain- is an idiot. As I write this, I feel a growing ache in my heart, my breathing gets heavy and I feel the heat in my veins. My mind races through all the dear ones I’m leaving behind (even though I’ll be gone just a few weeks). Their smiling faces fog my eyes. More pain follows. I pull out my cell phone and dial the most vivid face of them all; my darling Angel. (Now that story will have to wait for another day. 🙂  )

Photo courtesy: hotel arecha

© Krisheaven