Do you remember the first time you boarded a flight? Do you even think about it?
I don't.. I just look at boarding a plane as a regular activity and choosing a window seat as something that is par for course
This morning I got into the flight and saw a young boy of about 2o sitting in the middle seat. I indicated I needed to get past him to my window seat and he got up saying "thank goodness" . I didnt know why he said that but after I sat down I overheard him on his phone saying "no da I was all excited when I got on the plane but now I see you and I think of you and my heart feels sad and heavy"
I felt a lump in my throat as I picked up on his emotion and then I chastised myself for being overly sensitive and reminded myself that the pain of separation is the price we pay for the excitement of new beginnings.
He finished his call after promising to find a job for his friend as well and I had to once again rein in my emotions. What happened to this pure, simple way of life? Where we took those we loved along with us and retained our connections despite the excitement of new beginnings?
I was brought back to the present by his soft voice "akka that plane is so small but it flies no?" and I said "yes its cos its so far away that it seems small. Ours also will seem like that once we take off "
He said" this is my first time. Will you take pictures for me? "
I'm usually hesitant to handle other people's things but I couldn't resist this boy's note of entreaty. And he sounded so in awe of something that I had stopped marveling about. His note of wonder laced with nervousness was endearing and I felt something shift inside me.
I wished he had asked me before the plane started taxiing, I would have given him my window seat so he could have experienced the full glory of a take off. As I took his phone from him I told him "once we are up in the air, we can exchange seats and you can watch from the window"
He didn't seem too excited by the prospect as he slowly said "ok akka.. Will it go very high?"
I said "yes, over the clouds. It will be beautiful"
And I could feel myself getting infected with his sense of awe. What a magical thing this is.. To sit inside a big steel bird that flies!!
I started taking pictures and videos on his phone. Focusing on the things that a first timer would find unusual. And as I did that I started looking at everything differently
How busy the trucks and vehicles seemed as they bustled about near an aircraft.. The view over the wing as our plane crossed another - the fire station with fire engines at the ready - the queue on the runway as each plane waited its turn to take off
I captured it all and as our plane took off and we rose about the city, I heard him exclaim " all the houses look so tiny" I turned the phone towards him and waved at him, he instinctively smiled and waved back. I now had captured his first wave from a plane.
I gave him back the phone and asked him if he had an editing app to put all of this together. He said " I have a friend akka he will edit it for me"
I said OK and then about ten minutes before landing I asked him if he wanted to change seats. By this time he was less nervous and he said yes.
We swapped seats and I sat in the middle seat and watched him.
He stayed glued to the window torn between capturing the amazing sight before him on his phone versus capturing it in his mind. And as I watched the entire landing through his phone screen while he recorded it, I couldn't help thinking this was the best view I've ever had.
He turned to me and smiled and said " appada!! we are back on the ground"
I smiled back at him and said yes we are.
I was delighted that the videos that he has of his very first take off will be the ones I shot for him. I know I will never be as excited on my next flight as he was on his very first one. I know that I will not find another passenger as delightful as this young boy with his heart full of dreams of hope despite the pain of separation.. But I do know this.. I am grateful to him for reminding me to marvel at the things we take for granted
