I woke up this morning. A tad tired. Needed more sleep. Though excited to be heading to Sydney. For today is a significant day. By hook or crook, I was going to be in Sydney this weekend. All other plans were insignificant.
Yesterday and today waking up has been only about the loss of Guna – a man I met around the age of 12 (not yet 13). This man later became my brother-in-law, with whom I stood outside the birthing room waiting for his first born to arrive. I was there when he first held her with this look on his face that is etched in my memory forever. We did not have a camera in our pockets then, and I am glad. For this memory is alive like it happened yesterday and that brings joy to my heart, more than all the photos that reside of happy moments in my phone today.
This weekend was about the loss my sister, her children and theirs feel this weekend (and the weeks leading up to it – reliving the events of last year that went from one of hope he might pull through to dying this day).
Though Guna, and everyone feeling his loss was on my mind, the creative side was also wide open. I recall this happened last year when Guna passed. During his immediate passing, I was able to create many poems of a very personal nature for my sister.
Back to waking up this morning…and my thoughts as the kettle boiled.
I had booked a forward seat to get off the plane fast, though unlike my usual self that chooses a window seat, I had booked an aisle seat. As my kettle boiled at 3am, I started planning how I could make sleep work in an aisle seat. In a window seat, my head rests on the window and asleep even before take-off. So, as I pondered and went about my usual routine, I continued my thoughts and it shifted to the day ahead.
When I turned my phone on, to check for any flight updates, I was very pleasantly surprised.
My boarding pass now said Seat 1A.
An upgrade and a window seat.
I thought... great. Not only can I take the fast lanes, but I also get to sleep at the window seat like I usually do.
Fast forward to me now about to land in Sydney, I did not sleep. Instead, I did enjoy the window seat of 1A and the scenery outside which was fitting for this significant travel day. Today, the clouds were spectacular. I said hello to those lost and living in spirit land. For if they are, as I would like to imagine, flying around above us, this seat is truly spectacular. Their view of us below is something special.
Back to the arrival at the airport one of our conversations on this trip was my husband said he had heard me say something on a call recently... " by hook or crook "... and that he had never heard this term in his life. My second surprise for the morning why my husband had not heard of it, got me curious about the origin.
This term, by Hook or Crook has been what has driven me to succeed, when I had a purpose and wanted to achieve something – with integrity, focus, and determination.
The origins are interesting from the searches made, and if it did originate in Medieval England / Ireland / English literature, then I wonder why it did not make it to my husband. I need to research more on whether anyone around me has heard of it.
No matter what the origin, the meaning in my life has been to drive a focussed and determined approach to achieving a result, preserving good values (as referenced in the poem 13 Living life with no regrets)
I said goodbye to my husband and dog for the weekend and made my way into the airport. Given I was travelling light, I did not need to do my bag drop. So, I headed for the security screening. The airport is undergoing change by construction of late, and I did see a sign though it confused me, so I did not take it. I later realised, as an upgraded passenger, I could have taken the fast lane through screening after all. While I saw my fellow fast lane travellers on the other side of the glass, I stood in the queue waiting my turn for the security screening.
I recalled a podcast (Morgan Housel) talking about whether we can spoil our kids by giving them what we did not have growing up – like first class travel. Whilst I do not have kids to spoil, in this moment, I thought – this experience is grounding for me – to retain the experience of what I would be doing when I do not get a pleasant surprise like this morning. Could anyone taking their children on first class, when they themselves did not travel until later in life, forego the fast lane and show them what most people experience in travel. Appreciate the airport staff who also have to manage the queues of people wanting to get to their flight – some may not have planned well and be running late, some may need assistance to get through the process, and some who are just relaxed about the whole experience – sometimes so relaxed, they forget the keys in their pocket, till they hear the beep at screening.
This weekend, by Hook or Crook was going to mean I would be in Sydney to be with my Big Sister, and our family – to celebrate the life of a man lived until this day in 2025. I authored a poem while at the lounge and dedicated it to my sister “Dear Guna a year on.”
As I finished the better part of this essay, I am at my closest to my sister and her memories of this incredibly special man in her life, who gifted her two kids. The man who she misses dearly. He lived a good life in Australia – proximity to his first love and his children, then grandchildren.
I ponder, like the poem “If I had one more day with you”, what I would ask of Guna? We were not close once I moved to Australia. People have their seasons in our life – and he was a good season of my life. I would ask of him though the one main one is – would he, if he did it all over again, draw more. Guna was an amazing artist – I recall seeing him draw, so effortlessly and what looked like a portrait free hand. He used to draw for outdoor advertising in our home city of Chennai. I would find out more about this passion of his, that he did not seem to invest in himself, in his time in Australia.
Started: 31-Oct-2026
Finished: 31-Oct-2026
Published: First time here (edited 1-Nov-26 before publishing)
Linda G Thorpe
P.S
To anyone suffering a loss, may you find peace in remembering them, and cherishing their life.
