Yet another lesson from an airport...

This year has been full of travels! Seven trips in seven (six ?) months! I can probably count the number of days I was home more easily than the number of days I was away! Each travel brings in new experience and new learning! The current one is no exception!

This was in the Dubai airport. She was in her sixties. I thought she was the most beautiful person on earth at the moment! This was in spite of her shiny jazzy magenta saree that was not going well with her deeper complexion and the environment, in spite of her not so perfect facial features. She must be a mother visiting her children or grandmother visiting her grandchildren. She was all smiles and she did not care who's watching her (as most Indian women at her age would have normally done)! She was looking at her watch, then at the door of the airport shuttle as if the doors will open only at a specific time. She was impatient with the slow moving shuttle at the same time!! It was so nice to see her expressions and excitement.

Since the time I saw her, I am reflecting on travel in general and my own travels. Railway stations and airports are the most emotional places probably! My question is, why are we not so excited to see someone who is always with us! Are we taking them for granted? Is it not the same person even if you meet them after a few days, weeks, months or years? What is the difference between meeting someone after a few hours and meeting them after a few days , weeks, months or years? Are we trained to treat scarce resources as precious resources?

At the airports, most people tend to forget any hard feelings they may have had for the other! At the arrivals side, not having seen the other seems to be make people forget any hard feelings and the only thing that seems to matter is the opportunity to see them back! At the departure gate, they cannot see each other for some time seems to be the most important factor that triggers this kind of emotion!  Don’t we have the same probability even with someone who is always with us too? What is the guarantee that they will live for ever? They may not come back in the evening or we may not come back in the evening! Why are we not able to treat them with same kind of love that we show them at the airports! Interesting!!