Our railway journeys are mostly preplanned –
prebooking, packing, arriving station before time , checking seats, double
checking for tickets and safety , goodbyes and then the journey. Observing this
journey process, I think this is present even in the small journeys of our
lives, like schooling, college, marriage, and career. Checking out various
options, getting the application forms, attending interviews, filling out
forms, getting the offer/admissions is same as checking the route, selecting
trains and booking the tickets. Then the things to carry, ID proof, ticket printouts
is like prepare the certificates, stay, and finances and back up plans. This common
phenomenon in travel and in life can be attributed to our inherent risk averse
nature, meticulous planning or assuming the outcome and acting on how things
are going to happen or working for the predicted outcome. And for the unplanned
in the life, there are a few whose journeys are made in the last minute,
unexpected. Some carry it off well, with their extra resources (tatkal and
bribes) and some with taking risks travelling the hard way (unreserved). And we
have also the unfortunate few, who don’t get ticket confirmations, those who miss
the train accounting for the failure situations.
Now at the stations, those quiet moments before the departure the passengers
waiting for their journey to begin. Loaded with luggage of expectations to be
carried, the instructions are given and goodbyes waved as the whistle is blown.
Their journey begins with a jolt shaking them back to reality for the
experience which they are going to face alone. Wary of co-travelers and the hawkers with the
instructions and prejudices in mind we cross few stations carefully treading on
relationships. But as people get to know each other, bonds begin to form and
the loneliness fades off. We begin to relax and start to believe in others
entrusting with them our luggage of secrets. With friends and foes being made,
secrets either safe or stolen and experiences various flavours along the route,
we get down at our destination not being the same person who boarded.
1 comment:
Good one. Sometimes we feel sick of the whole process of journey but it becomes inevitable.
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