Yesterday I got an afternoon/evening train home to my Easter holidays. Something I've written about before is the feeling of having loads of different types of people around you travelling to loads of different events. Some are commuters; others are students like me; some have just been out on days out. Some people chat to their friends; some are alone; some chat to strangers about their jobs or their university courses. Trains aren't always this picturesque. Some would argue they never are. Most of the time I find a sense of peace on being on trains.
It's probably not peace in the way of being surrounded by quiet or the kind of peace one might find lying on a beach with only a few people around me, but it's the peace of knowing you're not the only one in this world. And there's two ways I see this.
Even if I might enjoy train journeys to some level, I might not always be in the mood to get on a train. Most of the time though, I have people in my sight and therefore I can't really ever find train journeys lonely. I've always admired the type of people that want to find comfort in the company of people- not people they'll necessarily talk to; but people will somehow keep them company without those people even knowing it. I think that's a special quality and one I would like to have. I think when you're alone on a train and you just want to sit there and not do anything in particular, we acquire this skill to a certain extent- if we allow ourselves to embrace the journey rather than resent it.
There is also a lesson to selfishness that is taught via trains- even if you're someone who doesn't enjoy the experience. Trains teach us that we are most certainly not the headline act of this world. We are not the only person in the world and our life is not the most important. Maybe I'm making my train experiences too spiritual but I think they put my life into perspective. There will be mums organising their children; businessmen with important work to attend to; school children chatting on the way to school. My story is just one amongst a lot more. It reminds me no to only think of myself and my own life but to appreciate everyone else.
I think train journeys can become tiresome pretty easily and I do understand why. But I do want to make sure I make the most of mine - which includes having a read or doing university work - and make sure I appreciate these little things in life that I could make tedious; or I could appreciate being alive and taking in other peoples' happiness and adventures.
A Book & A Think,
The Girl in the Moonlight.
P.S. I'm blogging twice every day this March and you can read my last post HERE!
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