Author's Note: I have been meaning to finish and post this piece for almost 4 months now but laziness and the island way has got to me. A very close friend reminded me that I hadn't posted a piece in a while. She is one of my most valuable friends! She has been by my side and understood me as a person rather than judge me, even when I chose certain paths (I will write about this openly, some day!).
I started this piece in September in Kanchanaburi and finished it in December in Koh Samui. I only like to pen down when my emotions are in sync.
Last year, I traveled to East Africa for a month and wrote a piece relating to the silence I experienced and felt in the region (http://whitelyz.blogspot.com/2019/09/silence.html) . A reader had commented asking me ‘how has the experience of the silence affected me’
Trust me when I say this, I have had this question on my mind all along because of two reasons; that was the first time any reader had ever asked me a question on any of my pieces. It made me realize that somewhere, there were those who read me and somewhat, perhaps my words touch them. I also felt personally very intrigued by the question and it made me reflect on it a lot.
I am currently traveling for a week within Thailand and I have felt the same peace within this region (Kanchanaburi), so I am finally going to scribble down my thoughts on this…
I had to stop the piece and never found myself to write again but I wish to continue it right now as I stare down the ocean with a cup of tea, from the pier next to my beach house.
Firstly, the silence I felt at Erawan was different and unmatched to the silence I had felt back in East Africa. I think I know the reason; the area I was in at Erawan has a dark history due to WW2. In 1942, the Japanese decided to act upon the plans developed by the British in 1885 of building a railway line between Burma (now known as Myanmar) and Thailand. The railway plan was extremely dangerous and risky. A lot of prisoners of war lost their lives due to the harsh and inhumane working conditions under an already-overly ambitious project.
It is one of my favorite places in Thailand because the soul recognizes the pain, and your life seems to come to a standstill. Death leaves a deep, dark and piercing silence consisting of the screams of those who endured the worst that humanity has to offer. Truth be told, the silence can be “heard” and felt for as long as time exists…I feel the pain of history and reflect on how life must have been back then. This is why I am fascinated with historic sites – they let you imagine and feel (although one can never fully feel what happened) the events that took place back in time; it is like you have time traveled! I don’t know how many of you feel this way but whenever I go to a place with a history, it’s as though the place tries to show me what happened there. It tries to connect and relate to me.
So, the question: how did the silence affect me? At first when I reflected on this question, my thought was ‘well, in no way did it. I mean it brought peace but that was only while I was there’. And so yes, I think the straight answer to this is it was a blessing for it silenced or quietened my soul. At the time, I was living in Karachi which in my opinion is a very fast, busy, dusty and highly disorganized city. Yes, you guessed it right; I am not fond of living in Karachi. I lived there for almost 4 years and the traffic irritated and pissed me off just as much on the last day of my time there as it did on the 1st. What is more upsetting is Karachites take pride in that!! Well, I fancy visiting it for a couple of weeks or so every year or even twice a year but to live there is definitely a no-no for me. In contrast to this, Arusha was really quiet, peaceful and organized to a certain level. It did not have crowds or shops/restaurants and markets open till late night; it felt like I have traveled a few years back in time.
Whether we accept it or not, our hearts and souls need that cool-off every now and then. Our fast-paced lives have a tendency to make us forget that at the core, this world is a mere materialistic stop on the path of spirituality. When we visit islands or nature filled places, the mind’s focus changes from work or money to ‘life’ (and for those it still doesn’t, I feel sorry) and hence it appeals more to us. I have not heard anyone say they don’t like the beach; sure, they may not want to live on an island but definitely wish to spend time there; why? Because it brings that sense of balance, peace and belonging. We may not realize or accept it, but The Creator has created places where His presence is felt stronger than in other places; of course, He is everywhere but, in some places, it becomes easier to connect with Him. I find places like Arusha one of them.
On second thought, what did greatly affect me was the travel itself. I was on the road for a full 4 weeks; the longest I have been on a ‘travel’ away from home. I have always seen things as a piece of the larger puzzle or a stroke of His paintbrush on His canvas of our life, so I felt this was a sign of things to come. I learnt how to survive out of a suitcase and be very mobile. I flew between cities every 2-3 days, Alhamdulilah. Between meetings in the city or hotel, meals at airports, working at 36,000 ft and taking a nap in the car during commutes; I was the happiest I could ever be!!
Fast forward to 2020, one of the best decisions I took was to buy a bag pack, out of which I travel now. Although I haven’t done a major or International travel out of it due to Covid-19, I am doing 1-week travels in Thailand and for those who know how heavy I used to travel, this is a major transformation! I think I am being driven towards a point, where I will be able to do a full-time travel and just keep going; although it is tiring and tough. Even for wandering souls like myself, we like to come back to a point we can call ‘home’. There are many times when as I approach the end of the week, I feel exhausted and tired. I know if I was traveling full time, this wouldn’t happen but holding a 9 to 5 job yet being able to pursue travel is not easy. I am very grateful to be able to pull it off.
As I finish this piece, 4 months after I started it, I am seated outside my beach house, immersed in the sea breeze and listening to the loud sound of the waves (which I absolutely love!) at 0140. What is missing; Chai!!
Anyways, I hope I have done some justice to the piece and to respond in kind to the person who asked me the question. I do welcome more questions and hopefully I will get back with a response in a much shorter time period than I did take for the 1st question.
Also, you don’t need to travel long distance to call it travel or find the silence. When I was in Karachi, a late-night walk around AKU did the same justice as a beach walk in Koh Samui does for me today; it is not about the location but the perception of it that matters. Keep traveling, there is no better way to expand the horizon, grow and learn!
Peace!
Champ!
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