Day 3: Will they reach safely?

Cryptic one, isn't it? Well, let me elaborate.

My nephews - 12 and 9 - are on their way alone for the first time from US of A. That's quite a long distance for kids to travel alone on a flight full of people that they don't know. On both sides of the ocean relevant people have the above question on thier minds - will they reach safely?

The answer to that really is quite obvious. Of course they will! They arrived safely from Boston to London, had a good 5 hour layover and have safely boarded the flight from London to Bangalore. As I write this they are 7 hours aways from Bangalore. I'm getting ready to sleep so that I can wake up early and go to the airport to receive them.

But really, the question is that irrespective of what we know is the thruth (safe reach, in this case); we still question ourselves, stress ourselves and worry ourselves till we see the outcome as being successful or being what we wanted it to be. For people like me who have hyperactive imagination, its even worse. Let me narrate an incidence to prove that to you.

I'm married for 2 years. Its early morning about 4am and my wife leaves home to go to a nearby newspaper distribution center for work. (She was in PR at that time and they were doing some stuff for their client). I know that and I'm cool with that. Its now 6.30am and she's still not back. She should be coz my paper has been delivered and so the distribution center must have shut down. The demon of hyperactive imagination smiles and latches on to my mind. I take my scooter and go to the distribution center. They are all wrapping up and there's no sign of my wife. I ask a few people and they say - Yes, she was here but she left at least 0ne hour back! The demon grows larger. What do I do now? Remember there were no cell phones in those days. I come home and wait. Its 7.30 and my mind is completely frayed. She must be lying somewhere hurt. She must have been kidnapped. She's had an accident. What do I do? The demon is by now laughing loudly and eating away at the logical part of my mind. I can't call her parenst either who live in the same town. If I ask them and they say she's not there, what do I do then? By now I'm a bowl of jelly, a broken clay pot like the half made clay on the potters wheel. Then the phone rings and by now I am convinced that its from the hospital or the police. I pick up expecting the worst. The demon of hyperactive imagination is now a dragon breathing fire and growing larger on my panic. 'Hello?' I say and my wife is at the other end saying 'Good morning'. What the........'Oh! I decided to come to my parents house to eat idli'. I'm angry but I also laugh at what has happened in the last one hour!!! Was she safe? Will they reach safely?

Interesting what an imagination can do to you and your logical mind. Till you see the desired result, your mind plays games with you and the demon grows larger on your fear! I'm sure my sister-in-law has not slept the night and till she hears her son's voice, she will be like that. Will they reach safely? Are they on the right flight? Will their uncle be at the airport to pick them up?

I'm sure my nephews have not slept on the plane and till they see me at the airport. Will mesho be at the airport? What if he is not there? Who do I call? What do I do? Will we reach safely?

And I'm sure I'm not going to sleep tonight well either. Will the cab come on time? Will I wake up with the alarm at 2am? Hope the cab does not break down on the way to the airport. Hope I reach there on time. Will they reach safely?

The objective, of course, is to not let the demon of hyperactive imagination grow so large that it takes over and clouds your logical thinking. But is that easy?

I'll give an update to the question - Will they reach safely? - tomorrow! Down, demon, down!