Finally I got published!

Hello blogdosts! Few weeks back I got this surprising email stating that #somewonderfulpeople read my blog and liked it. And they wanted me to be the Guest Columnist in theviewspaper.net. Never have I written anywhere before (besides this sacred space), and little did I knew what would come next.

Ah, the beauty of virgin column writing -- its frustrating to the core! And for the first time I could sympathize with men and their "performance anxiety" fear(maybe for completely different situation but feelings are all the same) - will they like it? will they hate it? did i come on too strong? or was it a phus-phus attempt? did i make any grammatical mistake? were my analogies good enough? were the past writers much better than me? why do they even like my writing 'coz I m sweating my pants off!!

Mind you, sentences don't come easy, especially when you need them the most. Its a frustrating, sad and disappointing journey till you get them right. To battle with each sentence, twist it in different ways and then finally strike them off mercilessly, has been quite a masochistic writing journey. If the Trash folder was turning out to be my new bestfriend, I was being a great torturer for my #bffontheothersideoftheinternet. Everytime I had a "cool idea" I badgered him to listen to me. A quid pro quo for solving all most of his life's problems.

Whether its while crunching data at work or after waking up to a nightmare, the absolute truth is, I get pleasure in my struggle with words. Just like Dravid does everytime he hits through the line.

And without further delay, blogdosts, I give you my Virgin Column.

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Ladies and gentlemen, we’re now ready to start boarding the flight

After spending doggone hours in the transit, these words are like music to my ears. Waiting is no fun; especially when you are in desperate need of rest or just travelling alone at all weird hours of the day. But such experiences can often manifest into various reflections of life.
I love being in an airport, and enjoy the thrill of travel and change that comes with it. Each is unique in itself, buzzing with life and creating a pseudo-reality within its walls. One can witness the vortex of human existence right there. Thousands of lives cross paths everyday, sharing nothing in common but, the air they breathe in and the floor they walk on. The place becomes quite a reminder, that despite our differences, we are not alone in our journeys. Life is synonymous with the airport, and the various flights we take mark the transitions in our respective lives.

It all starts when we reach the airport. We wheel our bags to the airline ticket counter, show our ID to the agent, pass through the security, check the flights chart and then proceed towards the departure gate. We expect the flight to take off on time and fly without incident to its destination. But if there is bad weather, a breakdown in communications, a breach in the security or any other eventuality that might affect our journey, we are normally more than upset.

Similarly, as long as our businesses, our jobs, our studies or our relationships etc. are up and running, wwe pay minimum attention to them and expect everything to just work. But things do go wrong in life. And just like malfunctioned airplanes can’t complete their journeys, we too will not reach our destinations or goals when important aspects of our lives are malfunctioning. It is only then we realize the importance of balancing work and life.
The airport also provides the most interesting backdrops for someone who enjoys observing people and imagining their life stories. It is amusing to watch travelers, specially an hour and half before their flight. That’s when they are naturally vulnerable, open and exposed - the nervous chatter of the first timer, the relaxed gait of the vacationer, or the bored expression of the frequent traveler.
And if you enjoy interacting with people from different walks of life, airports give great opportunities. For a few hours, your paths will cross but once, so why miss this chance on knowing someone in a personal way? Learn people, and you will be surprised to find yourself in the crowd. If you listen to that hum, you can hear individual voices. And if you listen more closely, you may even hear yourself.
Of course, the idea of flying thousands of miles away from everything familiar might make your insides clench. But all you need is some faith in the first step – boarding the plane. The rest comes easy, as incredible experiences await you!

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Bloggingly yours,

T-F-L
Fun-sized creative package.