Flying Abroad

Most of us have the fantasy of travelling Abroad & Settling down in foreign country. For some reason I never had that as a desire neither for studies nor for work. After finishing my college most of my friends travelled to US to do their masters. Time flew and after completing couple of years in IT. Got the opportunity to travel to Singapore for my friend’s convocation. As soon as I landed in Singapore, I was marveled looking at the infrastructure, the transportation and cleanliness. The immediate thought came to my mind wasn’t when I will be settling in this country, it was when will I see my country and my City Chennai like this. Times flew by got the opportunity in the company to travel to US for work and my manager pushed me so much and got everything approved to proceed further for the H1B Visa. But some how I felt that not my cup of tea and I didn’t purse on it. I haven’t seen any of my friends who have gone to studies or to work never returned back. Somehow the comfort zone and the luxurious life they had in the other countries never let them to come back again. I always wanted to be with my parents not sure that was the reason or the promise which I got from the Lord I will settle in our own land I never felt to be travelling and working from abroad. I had always seen my friends who have studied with me and who have worked with me after settling down in their own country may be they are earning really good, but they hardly would visit our country or to see their parents. Sometimes I have gone to see their parents of my friends who had settled abroad, I could really feel their parents missing their children in their eyes without a spoken word and sometimes even I hear them say. I had seen instances when some of my friends not even able to visit even for their own siblings weddings or even for the death of their own parents. I later travelled couple of times to US after I have shifted to another company on business trips for team meetings, Microsoft Conferences. Also I have travelled to Japan for work related. Every time I have visited all these places the same thought will keep lingering in my mind, when will I see Our country or city Chennai Like this. Never I felt like when will I settle in any of these countries. But I always love to travel, travelled to Srilanka also couple of times for conferences and personal vacations. My thirst for travelling all countries have increased so much but never settling down in other country. If I would have taken a decision as 99% of my friends have done I really don’t know whether I would have ever taken this bold decision of leaving my high paying job to chase my dream of starting own business. I’m not at all saying that my friends have made wrong choice of being settled in abroad and I’m great of being in my own country. I’m just sharing of what my cup of tea is all about. Probably I may not have earned like most of my friends have done who have settled in other countries. But I have a little satisfaction of being with my parents and chasing my dreams. Still trusting God on His Promise which he gave I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’” – Ezekiel 37:14 Also waiting to see my country an City like that someday, And my love to travel all the countries is still on the rise, hoping the COVID situation to get over soon and could get started on the travel itinerary… Flying Abroad!!!

Drive to Remember

During the year 2015 met my friends Sam and Saravanan after 13 long years. Sam has been settled in US and Saravanan has become a very influential business Man by that time. During those days I was working in IT and my shift would get over by 11.00 PM. It had become a practice for us to meet almost every night around 11.30PM at Besant Nagar beach and we will leave from there and go to Westin Hotel and we will spend our time together till 3am. Once me and Sam were waiting for Saravanan inside the Hotel and Saravanan called us to come out to the Lobby to introduce to someone. Me and Sam were quite confused. As we went to see him we say the amazing beauty standing next to Saravanan. She was in milky white color with perfect shape and her body curves were amazing, it was the Jaguar my Dream Car. Saravanan asked us to get inside the car for a ride. As soon as sat in the car felt like heaven, sitting on my dream car, every part of the body inside the car felt like a touch of an artist. As soon as started the car and zoom I felt like I’m flying. Sitting on my Dream car on a drive, I felt this has to be the drive which I have to remember forever. While returning from the drive, Saravanan stopped his car and gave me the keys to drive. Lot of thoughts were running on my mind. As I used to have a habit of not driving any vehicles until I own. Until I owned a bike of my own never drove my friends bike and never drove any of friends car until I got my own. That day I kept all my principles aside and took the car for a drive. I just pressed the accelerator with a soft touch it flew like a jet. Still I couldn’t believe myself driving my dream car. Driving the car I was saying to myself, its not just sitting on the Jaguar during the last test drive now I’m driving the car would be the one which I have to remember forever. Days passed by and our routine continued of staying late nights in beaches and then in the Westin Hotel and returning home late night. One such day Saravanan came to drop me home late night and we were sitting in his car near my home and we both were still chatting. Suddenly we felt a knock on the car window. We both were quite shocked it was a lady in a scooty knocking that also late at this time. With little doubt and confusion we lowered the car window, she seems little tensed stating her father-in-law is not well and can you help to take him to hospital as they called the ambulance and it might take some more time to come. We both were little confused whether it’s a genuine request or it’s a trap seeing us sitting on the luxury car. As I have been living in this area for almost 10 years and never seen anyone late this night. Without even saying a word Saravanan said lets go, I said to him drop his car here, we will go in my Honda city. He said that’s ok and we followed her. As we kept following her, in the side of a house we saw a crowd of people and we saw one old man sitting down. His son assisted him to get in the car and he also joined him. We then started driving the car. As soon as we started the car, dad said to his son sorry for all the trouble. I don’t know what to say brought some courage and said uncle don’t worry we will be there shortly and everything will be alright. The hospital which is just 3 mins away the drive felt like 3 hours of drive. As soon as we stopped the car and they started taking the old uncle in the wheel chair. As soon as they started to move him, he stopped the wheel chair and looked both of us and raised his hands with an attitude of gratitude and said Thank you. Me and Saravanan don’t know what to say tears started rolling in our eyes and we don’t have any words to say and we mumbled uncle we will park our car and we will be back. We parked the car and went to the hospital and they said he had an massive attack and they started examining him. His son again thanked us and said they will handle it from now on and asked us to leave. We left from that place with silence not speaking anything. The next day his son called to update that his father had a massive attack and we had reached on time that helped to save his dad otherwise anything could have happened again he thanked us so much. I was just rethinking of all those incidents happening for couple of days and I realized few things. We can be very rich and still We can always stay humble like Saravanan. Also we can help someone in need it may not be a major help, not a major finance help or anything. Just being there during their downtime a word of hope or encouragement when they need the most, it could be anything. Little things we do to others without expecting anything in return, the joy and happiness we get out of it can never ever be compared. Money and the pleasures of this world and even by possessing the best things in the world or being with the best influential persons in the world we can never get that kind of happiness. If you ask me now which one was your drive which you like to remember. the Drive when I was sitting on the Jaguar for the first test drive or when I drove my dream car Jaguar for the first time. I would say it would be the 3 min drive which we took the old man to the hospital will still remain one of my best drives and it will be the Drive which I would like to remember for my lifetime.