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."