There was nothing beautiful about this journey. A night spent outside the airport (they wouldn't let me in as I was too early) without a wink, being bitten by mosquitoes and trying to strike a conversation with stray dogs. Heart laden with every negative emotion that you can think of: Panic - that I would get stuck away from my family during the suddenly announced Karnataka lockdown. Guilt - as I knew I would have to dodge the authorities for not having done my mandatory RT-PCR (I tried my level best to find out if I would be able to travel after the lockdown was enforced so that I could travel with the COVID negative certificate, but I couldn't. The more likely thing was: I wouldn't be able to travel). Sadness - as I had to drop unfinished what I had travelled to Nagpur to do. Exhaustion - out of having to deal with three serious illnesses and hospitalisations in the family in the last twenty days. Worry - for the health of those who were sick. Anxiety - Work piling up.
In such a moment, Nature challenged me. "While negativity crowds your mind, will you still be able to notice a thing of beauty that passes before you." I took that challenge. I showed her this scene which I noticed during a split second spent on the tarmac. She smiled and said: "Son! You have been granted admission to my art school!"
