Wednesday, May 17, 2006

random musings along the rail track...

The unthinkable, the unexpected and the nearly impossible has finally happened – the weather gods are smiling down at London at last! Warm, sunny, beautiful days are giving rise to a warmer, sunnier, fuzzier feeling of all-round happiness.

All’s well in the royal land of the queen. So much so that even a Monday morning seems inadequate to dampen the high spirits (that’s another first for you!) as Nidhi and I make our way to Brighton through the lush, green English countryside. Watching the same paths and fields covered under a carpet of snow just weeks ago seems like a distant hazy memory now.

Maybe I was just asleep during the journeys these last few days or too preoccupied to wonder at the magnificence of the outdoors, but suddenly I notice that the branches that were so conspicuously bare only a few days ago are now laden with fresh new tiny green leaves. And intermittently through the greenery, one suddenly catches a glimpse of a plethora of colors as entire trees full of purple, yellow, pink and white flowers race past the train windows.

The distant hillocks with swirling fog (yes it’s still pretty early morning!) are very reminiscent of a Harry Potter-esque feeling. One can almost imagine an enchanted land surrounded by deep lakes and a mysterious mist in the far away distance. And the possibilities seem endless as the train weaves through dark tunnels and bright fields.

It’s true – nature has a way of affecting the way we think and feel. If only we take the time to observe it.