Just 5 seconds

" ..... It was a turbulent flight from the take off. But mid way through it was quite peaceful and I managed to get some sleep as well. But about 25 mins before landing, it all started. The turbulence was far more worse than any I had experienced ever. The plane was shaking crazy as it was sweeping past the clouds, which ironically  looked like harmless cotton balls. I was having a tough time. Not only had I got the last seat which meant no recline and which also meant that the person ahead had reclined the seat leaving me very little room to move about, but I was slowly feeling claustrophobic making my fear increase by every millisecond. To make things worse I had a middle aged couple sitting beside who were as immobile as me. I was gripping onto the seat of the person in front, as the plane made its way through the turbulent cloudy path. All the time I was looking down, I think I was hoping to catch some small glimpse of the ground. Not that it would make any difference and reduce my heart beat, which now was way above anything I have had before, but in times like this, even a small glimpse of the ground below would have been like a little straw of hope.


Then it got worse and I experienced the most helpless 5 seconds of my life. The plane while shaking furiously suddenly fell. For about 5 seconds, the plane was falling down. Although it was not like a nose deep fall, but the suddenness of the whole fall was horribly scaring. You might think what's a fall of 5 seconds really worth. Well I was not only amazed at what all ran through my mind in those scary 5 seconds, but also how the other passengers reacted. One lady sitting diagonally screamed......and the couple sitting beside me held tightly onto each other. The fear was clearly visible on the faces of all around. I was thinking why I was suddenly so lonely. A flurry of thoughts ran through my mind in that short span of time.


Thought 1 : What if the plane crashes and I die today ? I so wish I could tell mom and dad how much I love them before boarding the flight. I wish I could hug my brother just once more. I wish I could get enough time to call all my close friends and tel them how much their friendship means to me.


Thought 2 : What if the plane crashes and I survive. But I undergo severe injuries. What if the injuries make me paralyzed for life or immobile or disabled ? Who would take care of me ? Would my fiancée still marry me ? Would I be able to look into the mirror to see myself again ? What if I become blind ?


Thought 3 : The plane would crash I feel but how do I escape. I am near the rear exit, so I should try and jump over the couple sitting beside me and then try to run out. Or I should protect my head and try to duck under the seat until the plane comes to some kind of halt.


Thought 4 : O God, please save me just this time. Please God, I do not want to die today, not alone like this. Please God, please help me. Please protect me.


The plane eventually calmed down into a smooth ride after this 5 second fall and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. I felt for the first time how fast my heart was beating. I thanked God and constantly kept looking out of the window in search of even a glimpse of land. Finally things settled down and the plane started descending towards a landing. I was the first to get out of the plane after landing,, such a huge relief I had never felt.


Later, that night when I sat down and thought about the whole thing, I realized that even in that dire circumstance, how my thought process started from a pessimist thought and culminated in an optimistic one. I realized that the urge to live is above all desires and above all fears. Another very important thing that I felt was the suddenness in which life can change. In a matter of seconds my existence could have been wiped out. There are so many things in our day to day life that we just look over. Things like :


-- Letting your loved ones know how much you love and care for them
-- Noticing the small and big wonders of nature around you
-- Appreciating the small moments of joy that fill each day
-- Life and every small and big things it gives us


Just imagine if you meet with an accident someday and lose your eye sight. How would you see the rainbow, how would you watch movies, how would you go to a store and buy your favourite clothes, how would you run around. We often get so lost and carried away in our everyday race that we stop being sensitive to these smaller details. 


So life is slowly running towards its culminating point. As time flies by, try and grab as many moments to cherish as you can, try and live as many dreams as you can, try and spread love to as many lives as you can. Try and take some time out from your hectic everyday schedules and watch life closely, coz you never know when you would not get to do this ever again........Life's Like That"