It is surprising that one would feel homesick even at the age of 46, even though there is nothing called ‘home’ for me. I go and do what I am expected to do where ever I am asked to go and do. Then how can I experience the so called homesick at the land of opportunity?
I am not doing anything different here at Baltimore. It is the same routine: prepare for the class, sit in the office, sleep in the room etc…, nothing is radically different from my usual routine. Yet there is a sense of uneasiness. It is not boredom for sure, since too many things to do and time flies. Boredom is a result of not knowing what to do and doing what one is not interested enough. So what I experience is not boredom but homesick.
Homesickness has nothing to do with home or sickness; it just means missing the familiar surroundings. Once you are transported to a new atmosphere, away from the familiar things, you get either excited or petrified or disoriented. If the new surroundings overwhelms you positively then you get excited, in case it overwhelms negatively then you get frightened. When it fails to overwhelm you one way or the other, you get disoriented. And you call it homesickness. Even though we know that home is the breeding ground for so many mental sicknesses (it is supposed to be a joke, morbid kind of humor, nevertheless a humor. Do not take it literally and run away from home).
We are not afraid of unknown. How can one be afraid of unknown? What we are afraid of is leaving the familiar. Known things even if they are painful, give us a sense of security; this is the secret of a successful marriage and loyal workers of an organization.
Whereas the unfamiliar reality disorients the mind and the mind is ready for blogging.
Sir, you have put it so nicely. I feel homesick when I'm with my parents or at home and about to leave. There's a continuous feeling that I have to leave all the comfort behind.It's always awkward coming out of one's comfort zone.
ReplyDeleteHelleo Illeen, Thanks for sharing your perspective and experience. Most of us do not feel comfortable with ourselves. And most of us do not accept ourselves as we are. In the course of life, we need to do this, gradually feeling as ease with oneself and accepting ourselves as we are. Then nothing becomes strange or unfamilier. Our feeling of awkward with external reality is an indicator of our feeling of awkward with our internal reality. I think you will reach enlightenment faster than myself.
ReplyDeleteGeorge Joseph
father your home is every students heart............whom you have entitled with the light of knowledge............fortunately i am one of those lucky ones...
ReplyDeleteWhen the name is not known, what else one can say except thanks.
ReplyDeleteGeorge