Weekly Photo Challenge: Companionable

Along the way, I have met many companions. They came along, joined the road, went back to their lives at some point. Some I remember, some not. The ones I do were not always people. Quite often I think of the dog which joined me one early morning to share a good day’s part of my Annapurna circuit adventure. At first I did not pay much attention to it, just another stray hoping for some leftovers, I thought. After couple of hours of him not leaving, though, I grew fond of my new companion. He never took a bite I threw him, just followed me for half a day up to a point of another pack’s territory. Looking back I saw a goodbye in his eyes, maybe imagined. I am not sure if by the definition he could be considered a companion, being only a stray, following me for couple of hours. However, at that point of time, after couple of days hiking up and more to go, I was grateful of his company.

Monkey-companions in Rishikesh

Another time, while practicing yoga in Rishikesh, I remember observing a special bond between monkeys and people. Nothing unusual, of course. They just hope to steal some food. Later on I realized, there were two kinds. One really did just hope for some loot. The other, though, seemed to enjoy the company of people around, having blended into the society as a natural part of it. Often, those were the kind getting some food from passers-by. Walking the streets of the capital city of Yoga I could not but feel the presence of the silent companions, sitting around, watching.

Traveling alone has many disadvantages. Often times it is not as much fun, having no one to share the exciting and most memorable moments with. On the other hand, those are the times when you realize the value of a good companion, whomever or whatever it is. I somehow tend to see the companionship in many different situations and forms. People with friends and pets, couples, business partners, electronic devices – those are but a few examples of the usual perception of the word.

There are many more, though. Leaves growing in pairs, stones in a stream, being slowly pushed towards a new life, seeds floating in the wind towards a new home, clouds forming up to create a storm, masses of oceans being pulled up by the gravity of the moon. Everything on our planet earth and beyond is interdependent, and that makes us all companions, in a way.