Experiencing the Ephemeral

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.