Traffic!

It’s 5 a.m. I have been awake since 2 a.m. Mix jet lag with inherent insomnia and that’s what you get. Thoughts raced about in my head. As I stared at the ceiling, my mind traveled continents, mused on life, appreciated some, disapproved some… As the rest of the world snoozed, hardly a topic was left unturned – life, health, love, food, relationships, ambitions, politics, hopes, world hunger and even world peace (yeah yeah…so what if I’ll never be a Ms. Universe contestant?).

Sometimes I wish there were some recording device I could attach to my thoughts. For they run so fast and in random directions, I can barely catch them. They hurtle about in chaos and crowd - somewhat like the traffic in India.

As we rode the rickshaw yesterday, my eight-year-old exclaimed in excitement, “This is crazy!” More honks, more overtaking from both sides, more close shaves with a vehicle or two, she said, “This is like some big race.” I laughed. I also thought of it again as I stared at the ceiling.

The state of my mind is exactly the state of Indian roads. Too much chaos, too much crowd, too much traffic, too many thought of too many sizes and speeds. Yes, a bullock cart next to a snazzy Audi, next to a cyclist with a big bundle of something, next to a two-wheeler, next to the rickshaw that we were in. No wonder there will be some honking and swearing, right?

But guess what? It works. It’s crazy and chaotic and often frustrating and tiring, but it works.

Just like my mind and my thoughts. And ahem… there is some honking and swearing in there too.

So if a country of a billion people is hopeful that the traffic on their roads will get smoother, I for one, can certainly hope that the traffic in my head will get calmer.