Travel makes you notice things which you wouldn’t otherwise but only if you look out of the window.

Every time I’m in Mumbai, the long commutes give me that time.

Four buses filled with children – probably heading to a museum or science centre.
Different buses but one thing in common: pure joy and excitement.

We all were stuck in traffic but they didn’t care – one munched happily on an apple, another spilled water on his t-shirt and laughed it off with a friend.

A few stared out of the window with wide-eyed curiosity.
One stood half on the seat, trying to join every conversation happening around him and last row was singing on top of their voices.

And I looked around, at the other autos, cars, adults on their phones or lost in thought and I couldn’t help but wonder:

Weren’t we all were like them once?
But somewhere along the way, we grow up and lose that wide-eyed wonder.

Because joy isn’t always in the destination.
It’s in the detours, the apple slices, the messy water stains.
In looking out of windows, not just at screens.
In remembering that once, everything was new and we had time to notice it.
And I still believe it’s important to keep the inner child alive.

Maybe we still do.
If we just look up.