I realize that the title sounds like the jingle for some coffee brand. Well, the story am about to tell probably will look like the visuals in a coffee ad as well.
But what the heck. They are happy ads after all!
It all started with the little one deciding to go the extremes of NOT sleeping. After hitting the bed at 11pm yesterday, she woke up first at 1am, and then at 3am. After which, she slept off at 4:30am. Yup, she was up for an entire 1.5 hours, singing and talking to herself, extremely loudly. Then she again woke up at 6am and then finally at 7:30am.
Which basically means that by the time I had to get ready for office, I was an irritable, sleep deprived wreck.
But to office one must go on a Monday morning. So with a lot of determination I set out of my house.
I took my usual bus, sat on my usual seat, and plugged in my headphones to listen to the usual songs. But this time, I wasn't enjoying the ride. All I wanted to do was sleep but the realization that I could not and would not be able to until after at least another 12 hours, made me feel miserable.
I rested my head on the glass window, hoping for some rest at least on the bus, while wallowing in some world class self pity. Once in a while, as the bus took certain turns or as it passed a patch of less vegetated area in a certain direction, a strong, warm, beam of sunlight would strike my face, blinding me momentarily, and really annoying me. Every time it happened I would curse in my head - Why is it so hot? Why is the sun so strong? Why am I not in my bed fast asleep?
That's when I noticed this old Indian man in the seat opposite mine. He was facing in my direction, thanks to the face-to-face seating arrangement these Singaporean buses seem to have resorted to these days.
There he was, gazing out of the window, like everyone else in a "window seat". The bus took another turn and suddenly there was the sun out again, blazing in through the windows. I screwed shut my eyes and turning my face away immediately but I noticed that he was still gazing out of the window, up towards the skies, the sunlight splashing his face and looking absolutely at peace.
Wow. That was a rather small thing, but had a profound effect on me. It took me only a second to realize that much of my misery was inside my head.
The next time the sun made its brilliant morning appearance directly above and fired through the windows, I gently closed my eyes, turned my face up directly towards it and enjoyed a few moments of the warmth that it exuded even through the airconditioned interior of the bus.
Without his knowledge, that old man and I shared a moment of camaraderie.
And suddenly I didn't feel that miserable anymore. I was simply waiting for the next turn of the morning sunshine.
But what the heck. They are happy ads after all!
It all started with the little one deciding to go the extremes of NOT sleeping. After hitting the bed at 11pm yesterday, she woke up first at 1am, and then at 3am. After which, she slept off at 4:30am. Yup, she was up for an entire 1.5 hours, singing and talking to herself, extremely loudly. Then she again woke up at 6am and then finally at 7:30am.
Which basically means that by the time I had to get ready for office, I was an irritable, sleep deprived wreck.
But to office one must go on a Monday morning. So with a lot of determination I set out of my house.
I took my usual bus, sat on my usual seat, and plugged in my headphones to listen to the usual songs. But this time, I wasn't enjoying the ride. All I wanted to do was sleep but the realization that I could not and would not be able to until after at least another 12 hours, made me feel miserable.
I rested my head on the glass window, hoping for some rest at least on the bus, while wallowing in some world class self pity. Once in a while, as the bus took certain turns or as it passed a patch of less vegetated area in a certain direction, a strong, warm, beam of sunlight would strike my face, blinding me momentarily, and really annoying me. Every time it happened I would curse in my head - Why is it so hot? Why is the sun so strong? Why am I not in my bed fast asleep?
That's when I noticed this old Indian man in the seat opposite mine. He was facing in my direction, thanks to the face-to-face seating arrangement these Singaporean buses seem to have resorted to these days.
There he was, gazing out of the window, like everyone else in a "window seat". The bus took another turn and suddenly there was the sun out again, blazing in through the windows. I screwed shut my eyes and turning my face away immediately but I noticed that he was still gazing out of the window, up towards the skies, the sunlight splashing his face and looking absolutely at peace.
Wow. That was a rather small thing, but had a profound effect on me. It took me only a second to realize that much of my misery was inside my head.
The next time the sun made its brilliant morning appearance directly above and fired through the windows, I gently closed my eyes, turned my face up directly towards it and enjoyed a few moments of the warmth that it exuded even through the airconditioned interior of the bus.
Without his knowledge, that old man and I shared a moment of camaraderie.
And suddenly I didn't feel that miserable anymore. I was simply waiting for the next turn of the morning sunshine.
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