I feel sandwiched in between the clouds. Above me there's a paper thin layer of snow white, hiding a crystal clear sky. Underneath me is a much thicker cotton ball layer of clouds, covering miles and miles of farm land, rivers, sky scrapers and people. We seem to be in an odd space between the two layers, soft and blue, and what a space it is.
To normal people, flying is tedious and frustrating. They make you empty your stuff, they charge you fifteen dollars for a bag of Skittles, and they steal your gold flecked, only sold in mid-Western Austria, 189$ a gram facial cream, because its 130 ml and it doesn't fit in your over-stuffed government issued plastic baggy. But to me, flying is the most romantic, exciting, magical experience ever to be enjoyed.
The clouds under the plane look like a flat, perfect sheet on a crisp, newly made bed, with tiny little pin-prick wrinkles, like mini mountain tops. What about that is frustrating? It truly is an experience I find to be enchanting, in a word. I know it's crazy, but it's true. I love flying! My flight took off at 6 35, and is 3 hours from it's destination. Instead of seeing that as the most boring three hours of my life, I think of it as a fantastic opportunity. I can finish my book, start the next, engage in potentially life changing conversation with my neighbor, play some Bubble Shooter, write a letter... The possibilities are truly endless!
On the way into security, I noticed a sign... Rowdy passengers will be reprimanded! This sign led to a thought, which rolled around in my head a little bit, and turned into a question. It rolled around a little more, and eventually, like a pearl in an oyster, is ready to make an appearance. You're 5000 feet in the air: is being rowdy really the smartest choice at this moment?
My best friend has a massive and unthinkable fear of anything in the air, which basically boil a down to airplanes and elevators. She truly cannot handle being on an elevator. I made her come with me to a doctor's appointment one time, and forced her to take the elevator up to the office, and I truly thought she was going to run the second light shown through those constricting steel doors. Airplanes are 100% out of the question. I do admit though, her fear is logical. "Why, in the name of all that is good in the world, would I get on a 6 million ton aluminum fridge that flies with FIRE?" its a good question, I admit. Why would you?
I'll tell you why. He's almost 2 and a half, and his name is Phillippe. He has curly, gingery brown hair and beautiful eyes, and named his toy dinosaur Roar. Or, a better reason, a 28 year old woman whose loved you since you were born, who used to give you all her old clothes, and paint your nails, and teach you which products would really get rid of the zit on your chin. That's why I'm sitting in a 6 million ton aluminum fridge that flies with fire, 5000 feet off the ground and counting, because I love my family more, and let me tell you, when i see my sister and my beautiful nephew, and get to wrap my arms around them, which is something no phone company, no skype call, and no facebook message will ever offer, it will be completely worth it.
So, Ashley, suck it up baby girl. Get on the plane, because its not about the flight itself, it's about whats waiting on the other side.
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