Northern Lights !
Attempt 1 —
If you are consistent in one task then it is very easy to transfer that to other activities. As of now I am trying to work on my consistency by maintaining an average of 1 blog per week and then transfer this to other activities. I can already feel the friction in being able to maintain that.
Attempt 2 —
Too much friction and inertia and I am unable to get started — just forcing myself to get over the so called writers block and post. I do have an event to write about — two infact.
Attempt 3 —
I saw the Northern Lights on 10th May 2024. I landed in Sweden on 2nd May Thursday on a short work assignment. My brother was here on the first weekend to help me setup the apartment, and we also used the spare time to roam on island, enjoy bit of night life and roam around even more. I had few more colleagues from Bangalore who had flown here a week back for work assignments and soon we became a small group exploring the streets of Gothenburg more.
Preeti, Shreema, Kishan and myself. At times it used to be 2 out of 4 and some times — 3 and rarely 4. In a weeks time — apart from roaming we also had dinners hosted by Kishan and then Shreema and we all played our role in the cooking. Now — directly moving to Northern lights..
So there is one famous app to track or get alerts for Northern Lights and one of Kishan’s colleague seemed to have had that. In office Kishan was just approaching this person for some query and he got an alert and he was like let me read it and that is how first the information got passed on to Kishan.
Second — Shreema already knew about the app and had it installed in her phone. Although that afternoon or so we were not at all tracking or looking for it. Having the app already installed was I feel the second miracle.
Let me start now from the journey perspective — we were roaming around and had gone to one of the islands — Styrsö Bratten. We had to run to catch our ferry back at 9:15 pm. If we had missed it then we would have had to wait 2 hours more. Anyways — we got the ferry and then the connecting train. It is during this train ride back that Kishan and Shreema started talking and then tracking the app for Northern Lights. Shreema was constantly saying now probability has gone up by 5 points or 10 points and things like that. Kishan then just at right moment suggested that we should get down at Haga and go to Skansen Kronan — since it is at a height and we can get good view of the Northern Lights.
Once we got down — I was still worried and opposing to go there at night — it was almost past 11 pm. Then we saw few lights were up on top and we started short trek chanting Gods name. While doing all this we could see sky light change to Greenish tint. We were new to city and didn’t know if that is how the lights turn here every evening or it was something else. We climbed up and then sky was mostly dark except one part — but it was like sunset hue and nothing like Northern Lights yet. Also — when watching it for the first time — you are really not sure what to look for and how long will it last.
We climbed up and there were very few people there. We found a young couple and started chatting with them and found out that they were waiting for the same and I started chatting with them (unusual for me — as I hardly initiate a conversation with a stranger). Guy was from Netherlands and Girl from Belgium and I started talking about Max Verstappen and F1. Turns out the guy liked Max too :) Anyway — so they have been waiting for 2 hours and then girls mother sent an image of Northern Lights from Belgium and Guy was bit pissed — saying we are further North and we still don’t see it.
Anyways — we wait and chat and wait a lot more. Finally Kishan spotted something very faint and then we realised that may be that is it. We started looking through the camera lens and after sometime managed to click green shades. Now we wanted to capture purple shades through camera but could hardly get it. It was almost 15 mins past that we were clicking pics and then there was darkness — as if the show is over. The couple left but we were there. Deep down I was praying so hard — just a bit of Purple shade I wanted — at least on camera.
It was almost 12:30 and we refused to leave and finally we were able to capture the purple shade and I sent the pics to my near and dear ones and my Mom replied and I video called her — and she got a glimpse of it. We were busy clicking and all of a sudden — out of nowhere we were able to see the Northern Lights through naked eyes and just feeling that magical sensation. Within seconds a flashlight sort of light came straight above us — you can see the spread blow — it was like Mr Bean is about to fall from there. We almost slept on the ground trying to capture the image and also enjoy the view. Something happened at that instant and I started shivering — I told Shreema and she said the same. I got similar reply from Preeti who was miles away in Denmark. To this day I don’t know if I was shivering coz of cold or because of excitement or dream come true. Shreema had tears of joy and just couldn’t control the excitement and happiness. Posting on instagram instantly and video calling to whoever was awake at the stroke of midnight.
In that instant — Shreema’s excitement and happiness brought pictures of children who get so so happy when they get their fav toy or food — it was like a childhood dream come true and there was just enough time to capture the below image. I am no where close to being a good photographer — but the below one is one of my fav clicks — because of the emotions and joy one feels when a dream — held too close to heart (which always looked impossible) is realised.
That is it — that was the peak of the Northern Lights and then we left. I wrote a small linkedIn post (since I was not able to get this out on time) and I am just pasting that here to close this post.
May be I was lucky (at least I believe I have been Lucky more than I can count)
Anyways — so may be I was Lucky to have witnessed the Northen Lights — that too when it was not at top of my priority list and not something I was looking forward to in my near future.. So, I happened to be at right place at moment and I can trace back this to so many chance occurrences and events that helped me make it to top to see the lights. Also, few people left the spot 15 mins before the peak and then I felt I was even luckier to not leave the spot..
This got me thinking if everyone is where they are supposed to be and going through what they are supposed to then — were they unlucky to miss the miss the Northen Lights?
Answer is No- they experienced something even more miraculous events -
— Someone proposed to their childhood crush and he/she said yes
— Someone was blessed with their first kid after enduring lots of struggles
— Someone just met their long lost friends in a decade
— someone was lucky to receive a job confirmation email
— someone was lucky enough to have their last meal with their near and dear friends
I believe there is no harm in entertaining the fact that we are exactly where we are supposed to be and going through what we are supposed to go through — helps us avoid complaining and looking back at past — accept the present and keep looking towards even better and brighter future..
Remember — You are Lucky and you are exactly where you should be and going through exactly what you need to be — since this is how your path to Destiny !