As I sit on the plane, gazing out the window, I’m immediately captivated by the vastness of the landscape below. The view is a medley of clouds, mountain ranges, rivers, and lakes, all perfectly framed by the small, oval window. But something strange catches my eye. “Wait a minute,” I think to myself, “is that what I think it is?”
Far below, nestled between hills and trees, there’s a lake, but this lake looks peculiar. At first glance, it seems like any other body of water, but as I focus on it, the shape becomes undeniable. The outline and overall form strikingly resemble a sanitary napkin. It sounds odd, but nature often surprises us in the most unexpected ways.
The lake, with its long, narrow body and curved ends, gives the illusion of being something familiar but completely out of place. It’s a reminder of how the world from above can appear vastly different from what we’re used to seeing on the ground. When you view something from a new perspective, it can take on entirely new meanings and shapes, often drawing parallels to things we wouldn’t normally associate with natural phenomena.
The natural landscape has a way of playing tricks on us, offering up shapes and patterns that stir our imagination. Whether it’s clouds resembling animals, mountains mimicking human profiles, or lakes that resemble everyday objects, nature continually surprises us. This lake is one of those instances where a combination of geography, lighting, and angle creates an unexpected visual illusion.
What’s most intriguing about this phenomenon is how our brains make connections. Humans are hardwired to find patterns and familiarity in randomness. This is why we often see faces in objects (a phenomenon known as pareidolia) or why we can look at something natural and immediately connect it to an everyday object, like this lake that looks like a sanitary napkin from thousands of feet above.
Of course, from the ground, this lake likely looks like any other body of water, its unique shape only becoming apparent from a bird’s-eye view. But that’s part of the magic of flying. The sky offers a vantage point that can transform the ordinary into something extraordinary. It allows us to see the world in ways we can’t from the ground, giving us a glimpse of how varied and bizarre nature can truly be.
While this might seem like a funny or odd observation, it also speaks to the beauty of exploration and perspective. Whether you’re flying over a remote area or walking through a familiar park, nature has a way of showing us things that make us pause and reconsider what we’re seeing. It’s these moments that make travel—and even something as simple as looking out of an airplane window—so enriching.
Next time you find yourself on a plane, take a moment to really look at the landscape below. You never know what surprising shapes or illusions you might spot. Sometimes, it’s the unexpected that makes the journey memorable.
