No one likes a 4:00 am wake up call. That's probably why I didn't wake up to my 4:00am alarm.. Or to the snooze that happens five minutes after that.. Or the OTHER one after that. Instead, I woke up ten minutes before I had to rush off to the airport. I hadn't even finished packing the night before, so I threw whatever I thought was necessary into my hiking backpack and scurried out the door behind my roommate. Needless to say, don't pack ten minutes before you leave or you will end up with 12 pairs of shorts and only one shirt for a four day trip.
I sleepily hurried through security and briskly, VERY briskly, walked to my gate. I didn't miss my plane, but if I would have stayed in slumberland a few more minutes, my best friend from elementary school would have been one bridesmaid short in her wedding to her high school sweetheart. That's nothing I want on my conscience, especially when karma comes a knocking. So anyway, I clambered into my window seat right behind the wing, regretting my decision of opting for the six am flight. What person would have picked the six am flight over that much more reasonable sounding 11am flight? Oh yeah.. Me. But I had figured I wanted to spend as much time as I could at home to make the weekend flight worth it. But even so, there I was, kicking myself in my window seat for having to wake up this early.
Now, to preface the whole point of this story, I have been to some VERY beautiful, breathtaking places in my life. My eyes have gazed upon picturesque landscapes and backdrops from the deserts in Africa to rolling fields and mountains in Asia. But I have never been struck with such a strong revelation as I was today, sitting sleepy eyed in that window seat. As the plane ascended into the dark sky, (yes even the sun was still sleeping at this point), I pulled up the window shade. Regardless of how sleep deprived I am, I love watching the quickening speed and acceleration during takeoff in an airplane. It always amazes me that I am literally flying in the sky. I understand the whole physics, aeronautics, air and space blah. But I can never get over the actuality that I am literally IN THE SKY. About five minutes after takeoff, the plane was making its way off the coast of West Palm Beach. Behind us, the city was twinkling in the morning darkness, with promises of yet another hustling, eventful day.
Ahead of us lay another story. The landscape that spread itself out was the most breathtaking sight I have ever chanced upon. Slowly, the black sky began to transform. Pinks and oranges crawled up from the ground, splashing the sky with the most vibrant, luminescent colors I had ever seen. The clouds, rather than obscuring the view, only enhanced it. Colors started to bounce off the puffy dark clouds, filling the sky with dark pinks, reds, and oranges of carnival cotton candy. The ground below us gave way to the Atlantic Ocean, and the color began to spread out along the water too. Transfixed, I couldn't help but stare and fill my entire phone with pictures of this marvelous landscape. Blood red hues began to spring up where the sun was making its first appearance, while all around there remained rosy pinks and juicy oranges.
Tearing myself from what my eyes beheld, I was confused when I saw that not a SINGLE other person had their window shade up. I was not sharing this experience with anyone. Every other person on flight 1849 was consumed with their own thoughts behind close lidded eyes. I had even lifted myself out of my seat so much to see if there was anyone else witnessing this sunrise, that the flight attendant asked if I needed anything. I quickly replied no, but then rethought my answer. Yes, I did need something.
Actually, I think we ALL need something. Too many times we are so consumed with trivial thoughts behind closed lidded eyes. Too many times we miss the simple, beautiful things that are always right before us, EVERY DAY. Why is it that we put so much emphasis on buying ""beautiful" things, when it spreads itself out before us everyday in its ephemeral, grandeur beauty, at no cost? I don't pretend that I was the only person that was reflecting on significant things in flight 1849. I'm sure there were others who were worrying about the health of family members, financial issues, or pondering the meaning of life. All I know is that I was the only person gleaming reflection from my window seat.
In this fast paced society, we are flying with high speed velocity into an era where we are blinded by issues of insignificance, privy to unnecessary stress and worry; the destination being the island of blissful ignorance. We need to steer off course, and head back into the direction of appreciation of the small things; smiling at strangers, performing random acts of kindness, reveling in the landscape spread out before us. I'm realistic, I know that life isn't always full of sunshine and rainbows. No matter the final destination, there will always be turbulence. But, if we pull up the window shade, and take in all that life has to offer, the ride will be a lot more meaningful.
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