Lost on a Window Seat

Travelling in a bus as a kid has its privileges. If you want something, start shouting or crying till you get what you desire. There is a very less chance that your ‘want’ getting dismissed. Me and my siblings used to fight for the window seats when we were kids. We fought with each other or cried boisterously to grab them. As a remedy, we used to occupy multiple window seats ignoring our parents. That was fun then. We just wanted to see how the world moved with us, albeit in the opposite direction. As I grew up, the window seats provided myriad advantages. 

When we feel stressed, they cleanse our minds from unnecessary pressures and tensions. With the Sun providing enough warmth and the wind kissing our faces, they carry away all the irrelevant subjects that torment us. The aroma of world outside always makes us feel alive.

When we find our minds busy, they slow it down. They discharge our minds by showing the beauty even in minute marvels of nature—trees dancing to the tunes of wind, water shining with the Sun’s radiance, birds flying in the limitless sky, clouds playing hide and seek, bus moving on a curvy road or passing under a tunnel. They provide us the opportunity to take a pause and savor the countless wonders that lie along the path.

When we are sad, they retrieve our past. They let us recollect the memories—good and bad, contemplate our mistakes, recall our good old days with family or friends. The past seems like a dream that happened the other night.

When we are happy, they provide us the beautiful vistas. They take us to—the mountains which stood motionless but are lively; the plains where the trees scattered here and there but are together; the vast acres of lush green fields; the rivers whose waters flow under our feet; the distant factory and the smoke coming from its chimney, small hamlets residing at the bottom of a mountain.

When we get tired, they provide us the comfort. They allow us to lean back on their shoulders and they embrace us in their arms. They will take care of us as if we are their kids. Some of our best naps will be on the window seats.

When we lose ourselves in the dark, they show us the light. They offer to us the environment to introspect ourselves—to ponder over the possibilities and to seek answers to the questions that haunted us.

When we get bored, they entertain us. They will show us the towns buzzing with commerce. They introduce us to—the farmers who work in their fields; the kids playing by the roadside hamlet; the school kids who smile at us, village folk who gather at the roadside tea stalls.

When we seek calmness in our disturbing journey, they will provide the tranquil atmosphere. Even when the bus is completely filled with passengers, they will give us the serenity we are looking for. All those clamorous noises cannot reach our ears. Don’t know how they do it but we can be in peace, even in the rush hours, if we can get a window seat. 

When we wish to spend time with us, they provide us the privacy. Sometimes, we may not know where to go—we just grab a window seat and casually travel till the last stop and return home, not focusing on anything and leaving everything behind—just to enjoy being with us. They will give us the luxury to be with ourselves. It’s a great way to ponder over ifs-and-buts, what-ifs, what-could-have-been, what-to-dos, how-to-dos, etc. 

Window seats take us to different realms in a single journey. We may have seen different places or landscapes in our life and boast ourselves of them but window seats always provide something new—reminding us that there’s more to explore. We need not be a traveller to explore various landscapes—sitting on a window seat is more than enough.

As the bus moves forward, thoughts keep changing with each new observation. We may be thinking of our school days when we see school children walking along the road, we imagine ourselves of eating our favorite fruit when we see a salesman selling them on the wayside, we recollect our cricket diaries when we see the children playing gully cricket. But, it all comes to an end when the bus comes to a halt where our mind stops thinking and we move on with our mundane life. 

(I think we all have some fond memories of travelling in window seats. They’ll never lose their charm. If you have any such stories, please share them in the comments section.)

Source of images: My brother, Mahesh