As a young boy, I often found myself gazing at the sky, entranced by the sight of small flying objects dropping foreign sweets from their wings. Those moments filled me with wonder and excitement. Over the years, that youthful fascination slowly transformed into a deep desire to work in the airline industry.
At the age of 20, in the early 2000s, I took my first steps toward that dream. I stumbled upon a newspaper clipping advertising a position as a Flight Steward. With minimal exposure but a heart full of determination, I decided to give it a shot. In May 2001, I embarked on the biggest trip of my life at that time, traveling to Cochin alone to attend the interview.
As I stood before the interview panel, I was a 20-year-old with a youthful charm, and they saw the potential in me. "Yes, you are in," they said, but there was a catch - I needed a consent form from my parents. In a world where I was technically an adult, it was the early 2000s, and my family's firm stance prevailed. No matter how hard I tried, their decision was unyielding, and my dream of becoming a Flight Steward was dashed.
Yet, the flame of that desire never truly died within me. Life took me on different paths, much like how dormant cells in the body can awaken at unexpected times. I moved forward, but the dream still lingered beneath the surface.
Fast forward 20 years, and I found myself at the age of 41 on a visit to Singapore. A paper advertisement caught my eye, and it was for Singapore Airlines, seeking Flight Stewards once again. My dormant desire began to sprout back to life.
I applied, went through a series of online tests, and finally made it to the Singapore Airlines office for their few final rounds of selection. I dressed impeccably, and I spoke with confidence, believing that this was my chance to finally chase my dream. However, the outcome was not what I had hoped for - I got eliminated. It was a crushing blow, and I felt a deep sense of disappointment as I walked out of the office.
But as I sat on the train, headed back from the interview, I had a moment of clarity. I looked within and told myself, "Naveen, you did give yourself a second chance." The dream of walking the aisles of an airline as a Flight Captain had always been there, but now I saw that I was already living it in my own way.
I had my own trolley bag, filled with all my training equipment. Whether I walked into training halls or railway stations, I embraced every step, telling myself, "Naveen Manomohanan, Flight Captain, you are walking into the aisles of the airline that's en route to a new destination every day."
Life, I realized, was simple when you kept it that way. And on April 1, 2023, as I stood there, I looked back on my journey. I had walked a thousand aisles in my own unique way, and I knew there were still many more miles to fly before I would finally rest. My dream was alive, and it was my daily reality, reminding me that it's never too late to chase your passion.
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