Being in awe!

I work quite close to the Shanghai (Hongqiao) Airport. Exactly how close, I didn’t know till I almost touched the nose of an aircraft. Yes, a live, engine-throbbing aircraft.

I was returning to office after an errand at my bank. The winter had not quite released its hold over us, but all around me flowers were blooming and there was a general sense of “pleasant”ness in the air.

One of those ideal days, when you are as light as a balloon and nothing could go wrong with your life.

One of those ideal days, when you follow the saying, and literally smell the flowers. And even take a picture or two.

One of those ideal days, to plug in your headset to your favourite music and croon to it.

One of those ideals day, when you deviate from the path normally taken, mesmerized by the grandeur of an aircraft.

Normally, I would have taken the straight road and come to office directly. But even from where I stood, I could see the giant machine. The passengers boarding the aircraft seemed so tiny when compared to it.

I knew I had to go there. It was airport territory and I knew I was trespassing. It still did not deter my legs from taking the turn and walking straight ahead.

What if they shot me down?

Who cares?

There, I had reached the airport boundary which was marked by a wire fence. I did not want to touch it, for fear of being electrocuted. But I inched as close as I could to view that grand giant bird.

A distance of approximately 20 feet stood between me and the aircraft. But that was enough for me. I could feel myself so little beside this beast of a machine.

Now, you might be wondering what could be so mesmerizing with an aircraft, or how I could possibly make big talk about a machine that I was familiar with from a very early age. Oh cmon, what’s the big deal about an aircraft?

Yes, I had seen and travelled in aircrafts since the 19^th day of my arrival in this world. But when you travel, you have a lot of things in your mind – leaving behind people you love, passports, tickets, pending work. So much that you are not left with enough time to admire the aircraft standing on the tarmac.

And then when it is finally time to board, everybody is in a mad rush to enter the aircraft at the same time. Almost like you would lose a seat if you didn’t enter first.

So on that day when I saw the aircraft, face to face, or rather nose to nose, I couldn’t help but stand there and stare at the massive beast. And wonder about the great power it held within itself. About the laws of nature it defied and manipulated to stay in air. About mankind and the intelligence that created this raw, meaty combination of strength and beauty.

On walking back, I was reminded of the lyrics in Ronan Keating’s song ‘I hope you dance’.

“…I hope you never lose your sense of wonder

You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger

…I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean…”

I might be getting old, but this I’ll promise to myself. No matter how old I get, as long as this world holds wonders in it, I will always take a detour to admire it. Even if I could get shot for it…