The MidAir Awakening...

That morning was different - I wasn’t happy about coming back home from Mumbai to Delhi. I didn’t want to face reality, didn’t want to get into the “Chik-Chik” of everyday life again, I was so happy in Mumbai that I dreaded going back to Delhi.  Right now I was sitting on my seat on an airplane bound for home, and all I wanted was that my plane should crash!

This thought was so strong that it captivated my entire concentration. I was glad that my brother had come to drop me at the Domestic Airport in Mumbai. His random conversations about a type of footwear Wedges and how odd they looked, and how he was glad (i got a +2) that I was not wearing such footwear keep me entertained. At the security check-in counter, he looked at an information board which was a little far from us and said “tumhara flight ka abhi security check dikha raha hai.” I tried to gaze at the same board but it was unclear to me without my specs. I asked him “itna durr se lauk raha hai tumko , humko to nai dikh raha.” He bursted into laughter and I smiled. The boarding started and said bye to my brother, the thought of heading home still hitting my head.

 I boarded the plane and took my seat - a window seat. After the initial formalities the flight took off and was in the air. I was reading the book “Through Time Into Healing” and suddenly the flight started shaking badly due to Turbulent weather. At 35000 ft above the ground the ground seemed to slip from underneath my feet. I was thinking – was this happening because I had wished for it?  Within a few second, everyone was screaming and praying to be saved while I was sitting quietly. People looked at me with angry expressions as if all this was my fault and all I wanted to do as the plane was about to crash, was run away from their piercing eyes.

Next moment, something amazing happened! I left the plane and was flying like a free bird, before leaving one final look to the girl sitting on seat 5F. I went to my mother to see her and tell her how much I love her. I saw her sitting with her friends and chatting (about me I guess). She looked happy until my father switched on the television. Then, she broke into tears and tried calling me continuously. Though my phone was switched off, I could feel it vibrating in my pocket. I picked it up and said “hello maa, hum theek hain, yahi hain tumhare pass,” but she couldn’t hear me. She was not ready to believe that I was dead. I saw her sob uncontrollably; even my Father’s eyes were wet, for the first time after my grandmother’s death. Both of them were trying my number, my brother’s number but they couldn’t reach out to us.

Suddenly, my parents disappeared and I was with my better half, staring at him. He was talking to a small kid that I didn’t recognize. But he was laughing and happy. That moment, I fell in love with him again. I went with him wherever he went. I went to Harley Davidson showroom to see the bike we both liked. I saw myself sitting with him and our kids, I was cutting their nails. Three kids and a child like husband are difficult to handle, but I would not have it any other way.

Then, I saw myself go to my village - so many children were waiting for me to come and open the school for them. I saw some aged and sick people waiting for me to get them the medical aid. I sat with my grandparents under the mango tree in the compound of their house. They were looking healthier and happier than before. Dadi fed me my favorite chini ki roti.

Then my phone rang again, this time is was my brother. I picked up his call but couldn't speak to him. I went to him and saw him worried about me. His Harvard offer letter was in his hand, but I wasn’t there with him. He was still trying to pretend that I was still alive so that he could share this day with me. While walking down the stairs of his flat I saw guard bhaiya reading a newspaper where the news of the crash was the main headline.

Realizing what all I had left behind I went to the debris of the plane and tried finding parts of myself. I found my half burnt body and told it to wake up and return to the real world. I shook myself to wake up and wished to Un-Wish of the plane crash. But my body just stood there lifeless.

I started to cry, when my head banged into something and I got up with a start. "Welcome to Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport" beamed the voice of the Air Hostes. “Outside temperature is 35°C. You can collect your luggage from the conveyor belt no 7.” What an amazing dream I thought – I had slept myself into a new awakening.