He Literally Shrieked

I’d left the house at 2.30 in the morning…. drove to the station, the train ride, check-in at one terminal, bused to the other, security, passports and finally a cup of coffee before standing in yet another line at the gate.

The excitement about the trip had somewhat dulled by the time we boarded that bus that would bring us to the airplane. It was crowded. I barely noticed the family that stood behind me, two parents, 2 kids.

I stared out of the window of the moving bus, my mind occupied with the anticipation of the people, places and work that awaited me at my final destination.

And that’s when I heard it. The short sharp breathing. The little squeaks that were building higher and higher to all out shrieks.

I turned around to see this little thing – can’t have been more than 2 years old – a wee baby, standing at the door of the bus, looking out and shrieking with excitement.

He’d just seen his first airplane. His entire little body just vibrated with excitement and joy. He was smiling and shrieking and doing a little dance and tapping the windows, looking from his father to the planes to his mother to the planes and all the while smiling and laughing in total ecstasy.

It was infectious, the whole bus began to look towards him, then slowly thawed to a smile and some laughter. It was absolutely precious.

I thought to myself, when was the last time I have not only felt such happiness but also expressed with such a care-free, abandon. No inhibition, no constraint, just the simple expression of absolute joy.

In truth, I can barely remember – can you?

Such a powerful lesson. I made an immediate resolve –

1. To appreciate moments of joy
2. To freely express them
3. To not hold back, really, just let go
4. To shriek with pleasure and joy at the unexpected sights that thrill me
5. To share it with a bus load of people
6. To reconnect with that childlike wonder
7. To dance and squeak and shriek whenever I feel the urge

Will you join me?

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