As a child whenever or whatever plans I made, I was firmly admonished with a ‘don’t build castles in the air’. I never ever precisely went into the exact meaning or context of the idiom, but straight away imagined a beautiful pink and white castle perched on white clouds defined against a clear blue sky. It looked so beautiful, is it real? That image has been firmly embedded in my mind, an image which has tagged along with me throughout the various stages of my life. In fact it’s still there with me today. Do I subconsciously love my castle because it is safe up above in the air and not on the ground on earth?

When I wake up each morning and look out of the window, I see the variant colors of dawn - orangish blue, warm yellow and a tinge of vibrant red too. I hear the birds chirping and the trees swaying ever so gently to the cool morning breeze. The world is so still and peaceful with just the sound of early morning walkers’ shoes and I am reminded of Louis Armstrong’s song, ‘What a wonderful world’. I walk up humming the words ‘I see trees of green , red roses too..I see them bloom, for me and for you..And I think to myself.... what a wonderful world.’ to pick up the newspaper. ‘Boom, bang’! What was that noise? It’s my wonderful world bubble bursting! The paper reports a terrorist attack here and then there, or perhaps everywhere, hijacks, religious intolerance - all man made tragedies, which are totally unnecessary and avoidable .My mind screams ‘Man is the only living being destroying its own kind- right from war to terrorists attacks’. The other living creatures of the earth protect their kind .That’s how it should be, that’s nature! Why are we defying nature? Then there are the news of nature’s fury- earthquakes , floods, tsunami .That’s nature! we are powerless against it. Subsequently, I switch on the TV for the breakfast news while having my cuppa. Oh no! the visuals of the tragedies around the world is heart wrenching. Where is my beautiful world? I feel safe only in my castle in the air!

When I look back and see the child who grew up in a country where there were no televisions till she was in her mid 20’s, bought her Personal Computer when she was well into her 40’s ,with no one to teach her computer in the small town where she lives (it is different now though)and wonder..what do I wonder? Would she have ever imagined even in her wildest dreams that one day she would own a computer - the computer she used to watch with fascination in English movies.Most certainly not! Would she have even imagined that she would have a blog about computer tutorials ,write articles for the whole world to see? No, Never! So, there are castles in the air! Yes, I suppose I am in my castle in the air! Dare I to finish humming Louis Armstrong’s song?

'The colours of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky

Theyre also on the faces of people going by

I see friends shakin' hands, sayin' "How do you do?"

They're really saying "I love you"

And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world

Yes I think to myself .......what a wonderful world.’

Oh yeah!

Yes, I dare.. you see, there are castles in the air!

Copyright © 2008 Laila Rajaratnam. All Rights Reserved