A short note on the beautiful memoirs of an airline…. a part of my life lived with fulfillment, a decade and more of globetrotting…..

Jet had a fragrance of freshness, like a beautiful sunny day the aircraft shined and welcomed you each time on a wondrous journey to a place you have never been to, but still could feel its air, each time u landed there… Every city, every state had its own charm.. It’s ground people welcoming you with wide smiles and quick goodbyes coz its a turnaround… The food, the pax the fellow crew.. It was a party.. That we had each day.. Each flight.. Each roster each layover… Planned and the unplanned ones…. Everything meant a lot❤️❤️❤️❤️…….. 🥂To the flying sun.

A second home, a work top, a place where we spent most of our hours in a day. Though the aircraft was lifeless, we breathed life into it.. The songs on the public address that we played before the guests arrived, the innumerable moments we captured on camera, inside and around our loving bird, the meals we had together as a family on the jumpseats all just breathed life into this wonderful bird.

It flew across the skies carrying us all on its back like a mighty bird of flight, blowing wind through our hair, gifting us dreams about a new place that one had never been to.. Pride in what we did and what we knew…. The aircraft… Just so.. Became our life… Our little planet…. Where we got together not just to ferry people from A to B but to make memories that would last a lifetime and more… 🥂To the wings of love.. ♥️♥️🌹

Give so you make someone glad
Give so you light up a face that is sad
Give,fill your heart with compassion
Give ,make a humane connection.

Give,make this world look good
Give money,give time, give food
Give so your soul smiles wide
Give ,bring a smile to the lips that cried

Give because god gave you so much
Give ,bless the hearts that you touch
Give,let humanity bloom
Give ,wipe away all gloom

Give,so you never see someone who has less
Give,so we never see a life in a mess
Give because the lord chose you to
Give…..You are amongst the fortunate few.

Give so you live……Not a life that is long but a life that is complete.

The sky at dawn, a hope, a beginning

The breeze, the sun and the birds singing

A new day so pure, untouched and clean

A new page, a new start, new hopes seen

The sun rises up and above

Filling one and all with light and love

As we begin to write another story, to learn and to teach

And push ourselves to the best we can reach

Life happens, it never stops

Morning into afternoon and afternoon to evening it hops

Smile or frown, swim or drown

Life happens it never stops.

So thank God for each second, each moment, each breath

The mornings we enjoy, the sun and the sweat

Thank God for each lovely day

Words of gratitude to praise his way

Write to him, say you love his creations

The gift of life, with love its emotion

Mornings.. They only say a thing

Never mind the worries, fly to the sky.. Spread your wing!

There is a magical place on this planet. It recharges your body, rejuvenates your soul and enlightens your senses , bringing you back to your roots and bringing back that smile on your face, long forgotten under the burden of life as an adult responsible and accountable for whatever you do.

Where is this place ?You may ask.Is it a holiday destination or a scenic spot?

No, it isn’t a holiday destination.

It is the place where you first lived as a child..Where you were born. Where you took your first steps .It is the place where you cried regretting the start of life at school .It is the place where you felt taken care of ,like the little bird nestled comfortably in its nest away from the dangers and insecurities of the outside world.

Your place of birth.

Your home.For many of us that place may no longer look like it used to..It may have put on a new face, the surroundings may be different from what they used to be ,but that magical spot on this earth still stays…And the moment you set foot on this magical terrain ,memories of your childhood come gushing down from your brain to your heart filling the insides of you with a sense of belonging..Like Mother Earth just waiting there with open arms to comfort her child who was far away .Dealing with life, learning ,getting hurt,sometimes feeling alone and traumatised by the harshness of what life has to offer.

Visit your place of birth whenever you can. However far you may be. Make it a point. Do not cut yourself from its love and magic. It is a place where the trees and the streams, the birds and the bushes ,the sky and the air around….All know you .They seem to be happy to see you . They look like they were a part of your journey growing up..

And just spending sometime amongst them brings back the assurance that life is good.No matter where we live there is a place on this planet that is ours and forever will be.

I leave today to be with my family ,my children,my husband to a faraway land . But i am filled with gratitude for having being able to spend a wonderful fortnight in my magical place on earth….My place of birth…My home.

The messy floor, the dirty dishes

The curtains, the sheets and the covers

Can wait till its their cleaning session

‘Coz i need a vacation!!

No matter how expensive the tickets seem

and “we will soon be full”, the hotels scream

I can’t wait to get to the beaches and sand

Can’t wait to land into such mystic land.

Sunglasses, beach wear and the spectacular hat

Fancy slippers,the camera and my fluffy cat

they beg me , they haunt my dreams

They need a vacation too.. it seems!!

So why think twice when you need a break

Pack your bags for almighty’s sake

Live a life full of zest and passion..

For our minds to function……..We all need a vacation!!!!!!

I am writing after a long time today.Not because I ran out of topics ,but because I was pressed for time and the pen seemed such a distant friend suddenly.

I moved to a whole new country.Leaving behind friends,parents,my home,the places I loved and also leaving behind memories of the country I was born and brought up in.However impeccably you plan your life and arrange events in your life to be the way you want them to be ,life never fails to surprise you.We all have a certain mindset about how tomorrow will turn out to be.You know for sure certain things are going to happen and day will unfold as it is supposed to .

I was prepared to move.I was happy and I relentlessly packed my belongings,my books,my entire life to fit into the meagre amount of baggage allowance I was allowed by the airline.Like an obedient child of life I packed my joys, my sorrows,my doubts and worries amidst memories of yesteryears. It was tough.Though with all your will you are keen on the new beginning it is the comfort of the city ,the town where you grew up which refuses to let go .As the day neared ,I thought about the life I lived and the life that was about to begin.

And then I looked up at the sky and said to myself ,this sky is one.Under this very sky we dwell as one whole world divided by boundaries and territories.So what if it was a different country I would live in.It would still be under this very sky….It was a bizarre attempt at consoling myself that I would be fine.That I would adapt soon to the new way of life awaiting me. Nevertheless we know from the age of Neanderthals that humans are excellent examples when it comes to adapting.We blend in.We move on.

The essence of life is moving ahead.Though in our minds we are rooted to the place we were born,where we lived as a child,we hold the hands of life and stroll along wherever she takes us wherever we belong,wherever our destiny is.

Now here I am in a complete new environment,new people and new experiences coming my way.I tell myself each day ,you have seen something new today,learnt to speak the language of the land though very little..It is a start….It motivates you..It gives you an assurance saying you shall soon be one among them.It is not long before you see this new place as your own and then begins a whole new world of new memories you make here ..till its time to move again.

Dedicated to all of you who have migrated from your countries of birth to a whole new world.There may be more journeys still left to encounter…It only means you are moving forward and thats all that matters because in life there should be no regrets and no looking back……..

Relationships..Our need to survive.A Connection that grows deeper or fades away as the years go by.How much do we value our relationships.How much is our social well-being dependant on our relationships with family, friends and the community in general.

Most important of all relationships is the relationship between two people in love.

Love.what is love?Is it something that deserves a place in our lives where each day is a struggle to survive and prove ourselves..

When you are in love it is a wonderful feeling.A feeling of being complete.Every individual walking this planet craves for love,craves for being accepted and for the attention that says you are special.Many of us experience walking in paradise when the relationship between two individuals is healthy , positive and beneficial towards each other’s mental well-being.

But what happens when such a relationship hits rocky shores.Reason may be lack of trust,failure to understand each other’s strengths,concentrating on each other’s weaknesses and bringing them up too often and above all EGO.Are these two individuals struggling on their personal front able to perform their very best in respective work areas.Many a times not really..There is a constant need among us to belong.Thus someone who finds little or no love at home pushes himself or herself into being a workaholic so that they experience a sense of belonging towards work if not towards someone they love.

For those who are emotionally sensitive and value relationships more than anything,it may be devastating.They may not be able to corelate things at work and stay aloof when among family and friends.

Ninety percent of problems in a relationship arise due to misunderstandings and assumptions about each other.Ten percent fail due to non compatibility.

So how do we help prevent a relationship from going kaput whereby the two in love, secretly in their hearts hope to see a solution and want togetherness.

It is simple.Yet can be difficult to implement.For once let go of your ego and give in.Open yourself up to the most important person in your life and express your feelings and your fears.Convey to your partner the satisfaction you enjoy when you are being loved and cared for.

Love reciprocates love.

It is an emotion so pure,it struggles to surface from under the dust of ego.It may be painful to forget the negativity that was between the two,step ahead and say sorry.. Nevertheless just do it. And then watch the power of love being unleashed.

People survived the worst case scenarios at the camps of Auschwitz during the Holocaust just because they never gave up on hope of seeing their loved one again.

People have conquered the impossible just because their loved one believed they could.

People have recovered from incurable diseases just because they saw themselves growing old and holding hands with the one they loved.

Such is the power of love and relationships.They are like the sunshine which helps life grow.They are like the rain that soothes the ground.They are like the mountains that sheild us from the harsh cold winds.

Relationship is something our life is woven around.A loved one is the axis around whom our life revolves.until we die…And hope to be loved again wherever we are destined to be born.

So in this fast paced world ,as you finish a day at your workplace pick up flowers or may be a dessert to say how sweet your loved one has been to you.. Reciprocate the love.

Because this is the only one emotion that shall stay on forever,long after you and me exit this planet.

Happy Valentine’s week to you all and may you find Love,stay in Love and keep falling in Love..Because falling in Love is truly rising to the wonderful and content filled days of your life!!!!!

Life is about giving back to this world in your own small way as long as you have your time here.Therefore each of us is destined to be someone.. a doctor,an engineer ,a businessman ,a businesswoman,a teacher ,a speaker ,a technician,a plumber and the list goes on.Each of them have their own way of giving back to the society we live in.Some in form of services and some in form of developing others to be better human beings.

I had decided early out of high school that I would be a flight attendant.Though it had been an attractive career choice for decades,it still remained difficult for many to fit into the shoes of a flight attendant..That made the profession even more sought after..At the same time there were many who detested my choice saying I wanted to be a flight attendant  only to enjoy the wild glamorous world of aviation and in the bargain tarnish my image of being a good ,simple and sweet  girl in the neighborhood.

I was aghast at how many assumptions and impressions were carved on peoples’ minds regarding flying as a career.They only looked at it as wearing short skirts ,bright lipstick and honey trapping the pilots in order to enjoy life that revolved around Rolex,Louis Vuitton and Versace..

No one ever gave it a thought that flying is a great way to give back to the society….Yeah ,u may ask…And how is that?In what way?

When I chose flying it wasn’t because I would get to wear a dazzling uniform , bright make up and look good.It was because I always thought I could share kindness,care and humility with the people I would fly.Also i wasn’t attracted by the destinations i would fly to.I always put my rest first whenever I flew long haul, although seeing almost every country in the world is one of the many priceless perks of flying.

I had always been a quiet,shy and a closed individual at heart.I would always think that people are making an impression about me as I am talking to them.So i wouldn’t say much and choose to be shut.That way they would only know me on the outside and never judge me as a person..I was petrified of being judged ,of being labelled as dumb or boring or just an average  kid or anything of that sort.

Flying gave me an opportunity to open myself to people without the fear of being judged.You just had those few minutes or may be those few hours on a long haul to connect to someone and then never see them again..But these few moments of courteous and genuine conversation created a positive aura around you and the guest .It was such a wonderful feeling that I could make a connection with a complete stranger, make him comfortable, get to know him or her a little and converse about how life treated us in our own ways..It did break the ice but most importantly it made me feel confident,valued, grateful and content.

When guests board your aircraft and you are standing at the door greeting them ,it is easy to notice that every mind climbing up the step ladder or the aerobridge is preoccupied with something.Someone on a vacation is hoping all goes well,someone on a business trip is mentally rehearsing his or her presentation,an old parent flying to see their child is already thinking how much he or she will be missing them once they have to fly back…..There are endless thoughts that I can list here.Each of them carry a psychological baggage which is much heavier than the one in their hands.

In your role as a flight attendant you have the power to ease their psychological baggage during the few hours of flight and in the bargain get to know them a little better.Sure  sometimes many of these small conversations result into lifelong friendships and even sometimes a very special bond between you two…But mostly it is just a healthy conversation that you and the guest enjoy and the latter feels much lighter and relaxed when he alights the plane a while later.

Flying gave me many  such opportunities and endless wonderful conversations .Some with normal people like you and me,some with famous celebrities (and it surprised me to know how they faced problems similar to ours in their daily lives),some with very old citizens who could paint their canvas called life so beautifully and also some guests who were ill and but had not given up on life .
What you give back to the society as a flight attendant is this tender touch of emotion and a heartfelt concern towards the people you fly with.It is magical how they respond when they see that motherly care in your eyes and submit themselves to you like a child wanting more from his mother.

I had a guest tell me once that he never spoke so much at length or so openly to anyone in his life before and that in those few minutes his perspective of life had changed.He said to me “you have a positive aura around you which I can feel when we are speaking.”I did not quiet understand what that means but I was wondering how lonely can people be..He was living alone all his life away from his busy parents and he always felt that void ,so could never make friends or could never speak his mind out to anyone.He just went on with life like it was a formality.

Conversations on flight can begin over anything.Over food,over the temperature,over the reason for travel and then  when things take off from there ,you get to know how different people live their lives differently . If you are able to share their joys and sorrows and also talk about your struggles and achievements, it is a wonderful human touch that you are leaving on his or her mind which will go a long way ,thus making you feel happy and connected..After all ,stranger or friend we all belong to one race called the human race and we all go through our lives wanting support ,love and a hand to hold.

Today I am not flying anymore and I miss my passion more than words can say but I am so filled with gratitude for the millions of words exchanged , the petit conversations and the magical memories i made along with my guests..They became my extended family …And the aircraft my second home…

Truly with flying you give  so much to this society.You share smiles,warmth and help people find comfort speaking to a complete stranger and it is astonishing how someone could open up to you, which he or she wouldn’t if you met him or her on the streets or in a park ,just jogging besides you.

Fly…

Fly like the bird no worries,no why

Fly ,spread your wings ,don’t be shy

Fly,through the clouds ,through the endless sky

Fly….Just fly…….Just fly….Just fly!

I thought I’d make friends with life

So I asked her to introduce herself,

What did she do? ,How did she look?

And did she come with a rulebook?

I said to life,”will you always be my friend?”

She looked dazed with  pale look on her face

She said she would love to be good to me

But then,how would I learn and be strong,said she.

I said to life,”Be a friend and walk along.”

She said,”I am always there in your sorrow and song”

I pleaded to life,”Why must you be rough?”

She replied,”Dont fret it dear,life is tough.”

Life said its upto us how we look at her

With  smile and hope or with a mind full of fear ,

She said she is a journey with ups and downs

Milestones we conquer and sometimes shaky grounds.

Life said she is a teacher,she lets you choose,

Whether you follow the rules or let yourself loose

Life says nothing ,she only passes by

As you lie in the woods ,wondering why.