Scary Moments

There could be many moments in life where person doesn't know whether time is coming or going? of course, I marvel at the people who have full control of their lives. We believe in present, past is gone, and dead, present is thrilling and future as per me should be full of joy, it should be the natural ambiance of life, making life as the full celebration. Understood well and we try emulating in life hoping to get the desired thrust. Fair enough.

But there are some moments or incidences which are engraved in the mind and just appear up with the speck of the minute inkling in the present situation. Sometimes, while having a normal conversation a word or a phrase might rekindle the hidden event or an incident. If it sparks the laughter or humorous environment its, good, but sometimes it takes you back to the memories of that event or juncture of life which you want to forget or erase out completely. Perhaps, for some people the, what so called scary moments might give some kind of elation! Maybe psychotic

In personal or professional life, for me flying had been my lifeline which has casted memorable memories in my conscience. It is our human tendency to try and remember the humorous episodes, sharing with people and deriving enjoyment out of it. But somehow the scary moments creep into it and start giving you the shudders.

The scary moments can be classified into many types, like – happened due to own mistake, may be due to foolishness or by inadvertently landing yourself into a dearth of the pool. Now as you ponder over, it could have been avoided or, I mean stumbling into a mess without intention ore warning. It’s a big call and needs the introspection.

Most of the time if someone asks about the incidences of scary moments, what crawls up your mind? The ghost trailing behind you, a witch screaming at you, or a snake is chasing you, but these are momentarily, they fade away, isn’t? According to me scary moments are those moments which pulls you back to that phase of your life and forces you to acknowledge the short comings (if it happened because of your faults) committed by self or maybe you were overwhelmed so it happened. There could also be a possibility of happening because you had no control on the situation and somehow you got pulled into it. Situations, circumstances, inability to say NO or avoid a situation or some other reason like social or moral obligation.

I remember the scary incident where I thought the aircraft might crash or ditch. We were flying to Gauhati, monsoon season and flight was very turbulent. While preparing the aircraft to land at the runway Captain was so low that high rises of the river Brahmaputra waves could even be touched specially during banking. The Capt. had just got the command, and I was scared. In moments like this when capt is making two / three attempts and is not able to land, the crew expects announcement from the cockpit. The announcement may be obscure, but it gives assurance that All is Good. It was missing and two attempts were done and no announcement regarding the situation, expecting diversion to next city, nothing like that was happening and people and passengers was screaming. During these kind of circumstances Crew is in no position to overcome the situation and is at loss of words.

This is where the experience of the crew comes into life. I started announcement on my own, assuring the passengers that we are in good hands and flight is in firm control and we would be landing safely and shortly. We did land in the third attempt. No damage to the aircraft except some passengers had minor injuries. With the first aid and medical aid from the commercial and airport medical team, all turned out well.

Situations like this normally would occur in monsoon season, but CAT can trigger many other types of situations or for that matter medical emergency, where life threatening can erupt at any time. Classifying an event to be  the scary moment , I think depends upon the experience, mindset, dare devil attitude of a person and an over all personality. It would be like icing on the cake if an event supposedly a scary one can be turned  out into a joyous moment .