Once every week, on Thursday, I'll be posting something that's a cross between Fiction and reality, something that's not really on an average person's mind on any average day (including the supernatural!) That's where 'Theandric' comes into the picture. The dictionary definition of the word says, 'Relating to the joint agency of the divine and human nature'.
(You can think of it as a weekly feature and if you fancy it, participate! The picture on the side can be used.)
There's something I know is absolutely true and I was surprised a teacher (I don't even remember which one and from where) knew that too. Oh well, he's a teacher so he would know, you'd say, but really, I had thought it was such a weird fact that no one but I ever gave a thought to it. Before starting with his first lesson, he asked us a question, 'Do you think you can be 100% truthful, honest and straightforward with your friends and still expect them to stay with you for long?' All but me, said yes. Hold on, before you think I'm a fakey or something, let me tell you that I'm otherwise as honest a person as can be. Sometimes it even scares me. But I didn't say yes because I'm also very observant. I followed the trail of previous questions and the teacher's expression and mood and I understood what he really meant.
He was talking about things and thoughts that we prefer to keep to ourselves and not even the best friend gets to know about it. I'm not including family and the teacher didn't, as well, because we usually blabber all that we think about to those who're family. These maybe things not worth talking about or sometimes you think you'll only embarrass yourself by saying it out loud. Sometimes it could be something mean or selfish too, which you actually didn't want to think about. It's just a stray thought, a passing moment when you think of something bad/embarrassing just-like-that without meaning to. It's human. And when that happens you let it pass without further thought, or shaking your head to get rid of it or making it go away as soon as possible by changing the subject. You certainly don't stop whatever you were conversing about and tell the other person about that stray thought, do you? Well, exceptions are there, of course as it might be a super-brilliant idea that you may have got!
Or when you lose thread of the conversation or are in any dull moment, you subconsciously think about different things, things that you want, that you like/would like to have, that perfect future picture, visualizing yourself doing what you always want to do. 'Daydreaming', like we call it. What is it, if not your innermost passion? You dream about things you're thinking passionately about, consciously or subconsciously, positive or negative. You dream about vampires chasing you because you're reading the Twilight series! And you feel insecure somewhere, so they are chasing you and not dining with you like pals (not that vampires eat anything, but I needed an example!).
Understanding all of this, what will you call this thing I'll tell you about, that happened with me?
I could hear the thumping beat of my heart, it was so loud, mingled with the woods' voices. The rustle of a bird's wings, the sleepy hoot of an owl, the crunching of leaves beneath my feet. It was cold and I was barefoot. The day was bright and as weird it may seem, I was enjoying the walk trek. I touched the barks of trees as I passed them, a gentle passing touch with the tips of my fingers, my feet taking me along unknown paths. Yet I was excited; the thumping beat of my restless heart was proof enough. My breaths were long and deep, I took in the sweet scents of the woods and the little bit of a stream flowing nearby. I could hear the gentle gushing of water over rocks and pebbles. I could feel every single bit of it, the trees' damp barks, the sweet scents, the growing excitement of something awesome that I knew is coming!
The next thing I knew, I was high. Really, really high, swinging back and forth on a swing made from maybe, bamboo sticks and ropes. The back and forth motion wasn't small. One side went on for quite a long time, my hair flying back from my face as I went forward. Maybe it wasn't even a swing, but that's what it was. Except that it was bigger than any I had ever been in and I was using up only a little bit of one of the edges, with my legs dangling below, like we usually sit in a chair. My hands held a piece of rope right in front of me, attached to the side to the swing I was perched upon, that went so far up I couldn't have seen. Maybe. I didn't look up to see where it went. I was overwhelmed by the emotions flowing inside me. It's so hard to describe in words, it was an otherworldly feeling! A shallow water body was flowing a hundred feet below, surrounded by woods on two sides, left and right. As I held the rope for support, I was ecstatic. I LOVED the rush of wind, the whipping of hair, the brilliantly sweet scents, the sound and sight of water below and just me, taking huge strides through a swing, to and fro, to and fro. I couldn't think of anything else apart from just that amazing moment, the rush of adrenalin in me, the usual multiplied by hundred, making me overwhelmed with an intense joy. I'm sure I was smiling a smile I couldn't ever have smiled in my life, all that time. While I just watched with marvel the wonderful things around me, tears streamed down my eyes, tears that resulted from an intense passion and happiness and when I didn't try to stop them, a sob escaped my throat. I felt that happy.
Let me tell you there's hardly any Fiction in this post, this time. What you read in the above paragraph was very much real. I would say it was a dream, a very happy dream, but I don't want to undermine its strength by using the plain word, 'dream'. I usually have vivid dreams and the weird ones too, but the one above was something I had never experienced. It was just intense. How is it that we can feel and achieve so much happiness, such powerful feeling when we're not even awake? I'll tell you my theory.
It's passion. The way you feel when you're at ease; the things you like, your wants and desires. Read again what I wrote above, about daydreaming. When we're comfortable, we subconsciously get into our own world, a boundless, limitless world we create for ourselves and that's what we dream about. Anything that you feel about with passion. Nightmares occur because there's always that little something that's nagging some corner of your mind and it takes scary forms in your dreams. So how did I feel that way in my 'otherworldly experience'? That's because that's the kind of life I'm passionate about! The natural beauty, the peace and quiet and just me, if only for a few moments. The setting explains this one. Then what about the swing? I'm also very intensely passionate about the sense of adventure. Maybe I dream about it so much because I haven't yet actually done what I've always wanted to do! I don't care if I haven't paraglided yet, I know I will and whenever that is, I know I'll not have a care in the world! Those secret wishes that I can't speak about for fear of being thought a loony, those combined together to let me experience the feeling in my sleep, while I couldn't feel it in reality for now. Thank You God, for this.
What do
you feel? Have you ever experienced something like this?
[The blogger behind Randomized,
Usama Sulaiman has come up with his Theandric Thursday post too! Check it
here. Let me know if you decide to participate too!]
