Well, because the lotus is an aromatic flower, so when he says, "the lotus in the air" I assume he means "the scent of lotus in the air." That's something you really can inhale, or breathe. Also, in Greek legend, the lotus was supposed to "make strangers who ate of it forget their native country, or lose all desire to return to it." That would fit with the theme of traveling.

On the other hand, I can't imagine how you would grieve a lotus, or why the lotus would be in the air if he wasn't talking about scent.

I suppose it would be more clear if we had all the lyrics.