6 planes, 4 days

last week was a whirlwind. i traveled 5,881 miles over the span of four days via six airplanes visiting six different airports. none of this was planned. it just kind of happened.

i have a habit of sleeping on planes. i sleep, typically, for the duration of the flight. the attendants are lucky if i even stay awake long enough for them to give the safety demonstration. somehow, though, i always wake up as they come back with the drink cart. every time i order the same thing: sprite zero.

why, you ask? 1) because as a kid my mom always gave me 7up when i had an upset stomach and unfortunately i do have a little bit of motion sickness in cars, boats, and airplanes. not enough for dramamine or anything, but enough for a clear carbonated soda. and 2) because regular sprite is too sugary for me.

i drink my sprite and then i return to my usual routine. sleeping.

well, as we were mid-flight somewhere over montana (i think) during flight #2, i noticed such beautiful scenery through the window. the mountains were stunning and there in the middle of the peaks was this vibrant aqua blue-green pool of crystal clear water. (the photo does not do it justice...) i stared. i barely took my eyes off of it long enough to get the photo.

shortly after passing the mountains we rose to a higher altitude, and it wasn't long before we were soaring above gracefully dancing clouds. it was like i was watching cotton candy ballerinas from a box seat above the sky stage. i couldn't help but smile with pure delight and appreciation of the joy in front of my eyes. it was beautiful and delicate and animated, all at the same time.

i didn't go back to my routine sleep. i couldn't. all i could do was stare at these dancing clouds and pray that one day i would find the joy and the peace and the beauty that these clouds had found.  i was mesmerized by it all.

eventually, we had to cut through the clouds and prepare for landing. all of a sudden, this beauty that had me mesmerized was the cause for terrible turbulence. it was a rocky flight for a little while, but as soon as we cut through the clouds it was smooth sailing through the landing.

last night i talked with a friend who has cut through some clouds recently. he's endured the turbulence and came out on the other side relatively unscathed, but our conversation got me thinking about that flight.

we sometimes idealize things from behind the protective lens of our own defenses. he had resigned himself to being single for life. he had given up on the idea of romance and marriage and children and he was okay with it. life had different plans, though. [enter dream girl from stage right.] and the very thing that had looked so full of joy and peace and beauty, turned out to bring him down a rocky path. but even though the relationship is over now, he'll tell you that it was worth it. because he learned about himself and he learned about love. was it the fairy tale? no. but no one can say that he sat by and let life pass him by. he was out dancing with the clouds.

i have a habit of sleeping on planes. i wake up just long enough to get a drink that will help ease the pain, but i quickly fall back into my routine. i miss a lot while i'm asleep. i miss aqua blue-green crystal clear lakes among the mountain tops. i miss beautiful ballerina cloud coverage. and yes, i'd even miss the turbulence.

i fought my instincts and stayed awake for flight #4 and the pay off was totally worth it. the hot pilot asked out for coffee.

so here's to staying awake and experiencing life - because a little bit of turbulence is worth dancing with the clouds.