Train of Wonder

Took my daughter to the zoo today, with the promise of face-painting and train ride, 2 activities which could very well have happened elsewhere. The only animal we saw was a starfish, taking shape in the form of a glitter tattoo on my daughter's hand. But the glimmer in her eyes and the bounce in her walk were sufficient indicators of a fun, enjoyable, successful outing.

The sense of wonder a child has is simply fascinating.  That is why they do not actually speak - they exclaim! It is a jolting reminder of the fact that we were children too, and that we are either losing that sense of wonder or have completely lost it. I envy the scientists, visionaries, and futurists who make wonder their profession and dream up realities (or realize dreams?) that feel like a dream within a dream until they are in your hands, fully materialized and operational. What is amazing is the fact that an invention like the iPad, which re-instilled a sense of wonder in adults via it's gesture-based interface, is lapped up by a child with utmost ease, as if he/she practiced tap, swipe, pinch, and zoom in the womb itself.

The train ride was of course the highlight of the trip to the zoo, which, even if taken via a train, would definitely not have measured up to the zoo's train ride. I wonder what is it about these mini-train rides that fascinates children and adults alike.

For children, I think it is the microcosm of an adventurous trip, with every outdated, low-key or non-existent event brought into full relief in line with what they grow up reading - a choo-choo train, the woot-woot of the whistle, wind blowing straight into the face, sights that can be soaked in without the barrier or walls or glass windows, and of course the cries of joy and wonder from fellow children.

For adults, it is a great escape from the hustle-bustle of daily life. It's like being in a time loop where they get to experience wonders through the eyes of a child or even recall their childhood, and then are back to exactly where they started.

The risky thing about the zoo train ride is that it sometimes makes you forget that you are going to get back to square one. It makes possibilities seem more concrete than they actually are, makes the scenery occasionally shimmer with unreal glaze, and makes the world a little more wondrous than it actually is. Interestingly and figuratively, life's train ride occasionally has the same effect. Got to be careful!