Found it in my notes, wrote probably around june 2010. A day in Hong Kong.
When I am alone, I have the world with me. I just had a chance to travel half way across the globe all by myself. Since, it was my second trip to US, there wasn’t much worry about the procedures. I knew what to take care of and it all went smooth. But last time I was accompanied by a friend. And two is almost always better than one. The thought of being alone is a little scary. I remember my habit of keeping the TV switched on in the other room when I used to be alone in the house. It creates an environment of company. But I never really tried to understand why I need it. It may just be my inertia towards change.
Change, as they say, is the only constant thing in life. And I have seen myself change. Bachelor life away from home gives you a lot of such new instances. And the opportunity to observe your reaction. Also, observe the change in reaction with time. This was yet another such opportunity. I found to have come a long way from what I last remember of me.
I have started differentiating between being alone and being lonely. I have kinda developed an enjoyment in being alone, venturing out on solo expeditions. I no more feel that strong immediate urge to share my feelings and experiences. The top of buildings disappearing in the clouds, the amazing laser-shows, life-sized reconstruction of historic architecture or pre-historic beings do not make me miss my near and dear ones. Is that what being mature is? Or have I grown insensitive? I know that Life kills. But has it partly killed the childish enthusiasm in me, or am I just in phase of discovering a newer world inside and outside. Time will tell.
Anyway, in this new phase of self-discovery, I have been enjoying myself and learning a lot more about people. I realized that a smile is simply the best gesture in any language. You can just smile your way around the world and people will understand it, and most of the time even respond to it. I conversed with people who understood my language more than I understood theirs. And we could still help each other anyway. Walking in a new land is almost like walking in the house of mirrors, you immediately see your own reflections everywhere. What you do is what you get. It’s also the case at homeland, but when everything is set to default, the compiler in the mind ignores such subtle things. Hmmm, Life indeed is a constant teacher.
When I am alone, I have the world with me. I just had a chance to travel half way across the globe all by myself. Since, it was my second trip to US, there wasn’t much worry about the procedures. I knew what to take care of and it all went smooth. But last time I was accompanied by a friend. And two is almost always better than one. The thought of being alone is a little scary. I remember my habit of keeping the TV switched on in the other room when I used to be alone in the house. It creates an environment of company. But I never really tried to understand why I need it. It may just be my inertia towards change.
Change, as they say, is the only constant thing in life. And I have seen myself change. Bachelor life away from home gives you a lot of such new instances. And the opportunity to observe your reaction. Also, observe the change in reaction with time. This was yet another such opportunity. I found to have come a long way from what I last remember of me.
I have started differentiating between being alone and being lonely. I have kinda developed an enjoyment in being alone, venturing out on solo expeditions. I no more feel that strong immediate urge to share my feelings and experiences. The top of buildings disappearing in the clouds, the amazing laser-shows, life-sized reconstruction of historic architecture or pre-historic beings do not make me miss my near and dear ones. Is that what being mature is? Or have I grown insensitive? I know that Life kills. But has it partly killed the childish enthusiasm in me, or am I just in phase of discovering a newer world inside and outside. Time will tell.
Anyway, in this new phase of self-discovery, I have been enjoying myself and learning a lot more about people. I realized that a smile is simply the best gesture in any language. You can just smile your way around the world and people will understand it, and most of the time even respond to it. I conversed with people who understood my language more than I understood theirs. And we could still help each other anyway. Walking in a new land is almost like walking in the house of mirrors, you immediately see your own reflections everywhere. What you do is what you get. It’s also the case at homeland, but when everything is set to default, the compiler in the mind ignores such subtle things. Hmmm, Life indeed is a constant teacher.
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