Have you ever experienced an
unexpected moment of awe- inspiring epiphany? A wide expanse of greenery, the
sound of waves and the sea breeze and the majesty of mountains are all awe
inspiring. However, I have experienced epiphany in unlikely situations throughout
my life. Be it while standing in a crowd of strangers on a beautiful beach or
while sipping tea looking at a mesmerizing valley in a quaint Himalayan village
while reading my favourite Murakami or while staring out of the window of the
train and you see a solitary tree in a green meadow. I feel like suddenly
everything goes quiet, and even though it is for one fleeting second, the world
belongs to me.
I remember my parents taking me
to an estuary (the place where the river meets the sea) when I was quite young.
The estuary was banked by two hills. We hiked up one of the hills to take in
the view from above. My parents were ahead of me on their way to the precipice
and when I noticed a field of flowers next to me. I ran into the field and
found myself lying on the ground looking up at the brilliant blue sky. I could
smell the sweet flowers and then, just for a moment, I realised that this is a
once in a lifetime experience. It is the first time in my life that I
experienced what I later came to know as an epiphany.
As a teenager, I used to go
camping regularly. During one such camp, we were taken to a sea shore one
evening and there, suddenly, I was left alone and as I stood there gazing at
the sea I felt the sense of an epiphany sweeping over me. The quietening of the
surroundings, the distant laughter of my camp-mates and the constant breeze
ruffling my hair combined with the limitlessness of the ocean made a beautiful
memory for me.
Last summer, I had the most
wonderful vacation with my family in Meghalaya. It was quite charming for an
arranged tour. We were taken to a sacred grove in Mawphlang village by a local
guide. My parents followed the guide along the path as he gave colourful explanations
of the flora and fauna found inside the grove and the folklore of the tribe. My
sister and I hung back and took our time exploring. We were well into the
grove, when a sudden fog moved down the valley enveloping the sacred grove and
us with it. It was one of the most beautiful experiences I have ever had.
Here is to the eternal hope of
experiencing more such surreal moments.
