A Road Trip

"Only the road knows where it will lead us,into the horizon it will free us."

Unlike my brother,I am emotional.Irrational,pointless feelings and illusions easily breaks through making me wrap myself up,into a shell and reside there for as long as the feeling passes.

I,sometimes cannot help but feel sad over stupid reasons,which maybe,actually of least importance.And on those very times,nothing cheers me up except for bars and bars of chocolates that only add up my calories,(which I regret every time,later) keeps all the depression and sadness at bay.

It was last Sunday,that my brother forced me to get out of my pajamas to go on a short road trip.Generally,though I don't listen to him,as because he is younger to me but sometimes,he can be very bossy over me.So,I had to give in and moreover,I dint have a better plan of spending the day,either!

Its actually not literally a 'trip',more of a long drive,but I'm calling it because the feel was far beyond just long drive,it was more of a long trip and round back.

We left around 8 a.m,he drove past entering the highway,leaving the city behind.It was a long road ahead and felt just like my life.Except for factories and petrol pumps there was nothing but open land,on each side.

For a late-Kate like me,it was too early rise than the usual 10-11 a.m. so was still sleepy.I relaxed myself on the passenger's seat pushing it backward,raising my feet up on the front deck and feeling the soft warmth of the monsoon sun under them.

It felt really good,and as if the confines of my tangled mind started to extend,to loosen up exploring the surrounding.There was a certain tranquility and the view of the long,never-ending road ahead,was simply irresistible.

The tree leaves fluttering gracefully reminded again of different shades of life.As we passed by each one of them I realized no matter storm,rain,summer they stand tall without its beauty waned.Similarly in life we need to stand strong and dignified,if we are to enjoy life in all its aspects.

I watched until the last ray faded from the vast expansion,welcoming the dark clouds to take over and soon after the rain poured down.I wanted to feel the drops on my face,but before I could,he hurriedly pulled up the glasses and I realized his 'boring,old,not-so-imaginative' nature was right there giving us the superfluous company.

He was just accompanying me to help clear off my head but that din't mean he would compromise on his car seats or the interior getting wet.

I was in no mood for a quarrel whatsoever,so I,silently squinted,turning away from him at the outside rain splattering on the glass beside me,letting my finger follow the tracks of each falling drops.

He went off the road and pulled over to a tea stall.People stood under a nearby shade,
canopying over them from the rain and some had even parked their bicycle in the minimal space.
We both sat there sipping hot tea and I watched the rain and it felt like,as if,numerous small butterflies flapping its wings at the same time over and over again.I looked further around and noticed a little boy just wearing his shorts without a tee shirt going about,serving the cups.

Assuming from the nature of his conversation with the owner,he seemed to be his son.I turned and asked him to fetch me a paper from the stack piled at a far end corner.

Origami,craft works and art had always interested me since childhood,and I'm pretty good at it too.So,I made a paper boat and handed it to him.There was a broad smile on his face and thanking me,he walked away to let it set sail in the water.

I watched him in fascination,how oblivious the little one was from all the dirty,muddy water under him,and being so blissful at just sailing them in the puddle.My childhood memories burst open and I wondered,when and where had I lost that childlike joys of life.The art of finding happiness in small and insignificant things. 

We gathered up our belongings and waving for last time at that little fellow,he started the engine and in no time we were back on road,speeding away.

I stared at the windshield and watched the wipers move rapidly again and again.Two huge trucks had accompanied us on the road at the same time and it was then reaching at one crossroad that they changed direction departing on a different road.It seemed as if the wipers were two hands waving goodbyes.

Metaphorically,in life,we meet people,and at one point they leave us and we have nothing else to do but to keep moving ahead.

The rain had partially stopped coming down to light drizzle,and the clear clouds floated through which an orangish-yellow hue filled the sky,and I stared at it watching the birds above fly back home,as if tantalizingly my adventurous imagination and wanderlust feet.I was feeling much better,out from my gloomy mood.I turned on the radio and a song played just fitting perfect for the moment,'Life is a Highway'-By Rascal Flatts.

A cool breeze hit my face,making me feel weightless of all worries,blowing away the cobwebs of my mind.And I remembered a quote that I came across scuffling through once,and it said,

"We travel,initially,to lose ourselves;and we travel,next,to find ourselves."

It was in a long time that I had admired the sunset so deeply.I realized in the midst of all busy work schedule and deadlines,I had forgotten to enjoy the small happiness of life.My heart yearned for nothing more and just a flow of thoughts one after the other filled my mind,loving the moment as it is.And all I wanted was to stay mesmerized,connected and absorbed till I'm nothing but an extension of the beauty around.

“You’ll need coffee shops and sunsets and road trips.Airplanes and passports and new songs and old songs,but people more than anything else.You will need other people and you will need to be that other person to someone else,a living breathing screaming invitation to believe better things.”― Jamie Tworkowski.

 The each enchanting backdrop with shadowy rays were perfect escapes from why's,what if's,why not's and worldly cares that were bundled up in my thoughts and upon approaching back homeward,another line crossed my mind,by William Least Heat Moon,from Blue Highways, 

"What you've done becomes the judge of what you're going to do-especially in other people's minds.When you're traveling,you are what you are right there and then.People don't have your past to hold against you.No yesterdays on the road."

Fading..... .. .

When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone?Or checked your mailbox for a letter that made your eyes dance with exultant joy?

The truth is many of us haven't.I myself don't remember,but yes! we do remember that our last text message was sent 5 seconds ago.Don't we?

With the chrysalis in technology and abatement in our patience,we have repressed our habit of writing letter.Email and text message seem the easiest way to keep in touch.

By saying this,I'm not trying to demean the whole idea of technology use.I,in fact think its a boon to everyone and equally appreciate it,but what I'm actually saying is along with it,we must not forget what we had before the intercession.

Nowadays,letters mean application against complaint, invitation, appointment, resignation, etc.Except for the 'letter of appointment',which one of them have you held close to your heart with joy,in a long time?

I bet none! Because we receive them without the emotion and love part.

Almost,the major part of my growing up was spent,living in school hostel and Sundays meant writing letter to your family.

When I was little,little enough to not understand about it,I often wrote nothing,except

'I love u Mama' and when got older,wrote such a lot,that there wasn't enough room in the inland letter,to hold all my feelings.

I have written many letters back then,all addressed to my mother;truly,that was the bonding phase and those letters were just the rightful mediator.She answered each one of them and that's how we bridged the gap between what happened at home and at school.

I still hold on to those and she has them too,its no less than a treasure.We don't read it,though,but those pages hold some memorable part of our lives and worth million dollar smile if revisited.

Its very important to understand when someone writes to you,how special you are to that person.They took out time especially for you,to think of you and tell you how they feel about you.And then that feeling of holding a letter close to your heart and reciprocating the same love and affection from the sender,can you replace it with SMS or Email?

I don't think so,there is a different beauty in writing and receiving a hand written letter,and its indescribable!

I had wrote some to my ex even.And I remember him telling me how much he had adored the way of showing love,that it had made him feel deeply and purely loved,and it seemed I was right there,even when we were actually two cities apart.

Its true,to make someone know how special they are,you have to express it in the fullest and the truest form.And what's better than just writing it down.

Sometimes we fail to say it,or too shy,too scared,too vulnerable,expecting it otherwise and having to see it in their eyes,writing is easy,pouring your heart down into the pages saves from the fear.

I've decided to let my ink pot and pen see the daylight,they have rested long enough in the drawer.

So,next time when you want to express something to someone,try writing a letter,instead.