Sitting at the Barcelona airport, I find myself watching planes glide in and out through the vast glass windows while my favorite Jagjit Singh ghazals play softly in my ears. For the first time, I’m alone at an airport—not rushing, not waiting for someone, just pausing… and observing.
And suddenly, the past few years begin to play in my mind like a slideshow.
The day I married.
That first chat with my new husband after the wedding extravaganza.
The laughter and memories with my best friend during our first Euro tour, the trip I am returning from.
And the sweet anticipation of seeing my husband again in just a couple of hours after a week apart.
I think about the endurance of the past twenty-nine-something years of my life—the lessons, the struggles, the growth—and the quiet rewards I’m now beginning to feel.
As I look at the wide, clear sky over Barcelona, I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude—for the people in my life, for the journey so far, and of course for God.
I feel enriched by something I can’t quite name…
Is it contentment? Gratitude? Love? Happiness?
Maybe it’s a little bit of everything.
For now, I’m simply soaking in every minute of this rare “me time,” not knowing when I’ll get it again… and gently falling in love with myself, one more time.
Written on 28 Oct 2018, published ~7 years later!
himalayaswithin 