Flight Log: The Final Frontier

~ Live & Learn

Travel, story,weather,airplane,aircraft

My journey from NYC westward continues.  A five hour non-stop flight has morphed into a surreal 2 day experience with stops at JFK (with 2 plane changes), LGA (with full airport evacuation), Detroit and Chicago. This is the last leg of the journey.  (Prior posts for this trip are referenced below along with the post dedication.)

The 45 minute hop from Detroit to Chicago was quiet. No chop. A Quiet cabin. Light snow was falling in Chicago carpeting the catering trucks and the luggage carriers. A slender, stoop-shouldered man guided the aircraft in. His hoodie was covered in snow. His fluorescent batons offered a soft illumination. It’s feeling a lot like Christmas Eve. In February.

The City that works. The Machinery was humming this evening. Plows. Sand trucks. Baggage handlers. Crew. De-icers coating the aircraft in a lemon colored bath. A beautiful orchestra. All to get us somewhere safely. I’m feeling gratitude.

My Son was born here. In Chicago. I burroughed deep and back to find a moment. Susan is pulling him on a red sled to greet me as I walk home from the train station returning from work. His chubby cheeks are red. His hair is matted and wet from layers of clothing. His smile…a lighthouse beacon. His arms reaching up. “Dada! Dada!” I reach down to grab him. I hold him close. I can feel his warm breath on my neck as he nuzzles. I miss my son often. And especially when I’m tired. Like now. When the aching just won’t stop.

Cheryl found me eerily calm during this journey. I had many hours to contemplate why. She no longer covered my business and left about the time I started blogging. This hobby. This community. This labor of love. This stringing of words together and having someone actually care to read it. A miracle drug. It stills and softens the mind. It injects peace where none formerly existed. Albert Camus said “In order to understand the world, one has to turn away from it on occasion.” This. THIS allows me to turn away from the world.

My finger lingers over the Publish button. The cabin is dark with the exception of a handful of us hunched over our screens. 35,000 feet in the air, my wireless icon is flashing. I’m wired.

It’s a miracle. All of it.

Me. Family. Our dog. Friends. You, yes you, reading this. This iPad. My Eye sight. This plane flying. Pizza. (I’m famished.)

All of it.

Too big to figure out.

Too important not to find a small corner of it to call my own.

My finger hovers over the Publish button again. Proof read it again? Is it too much? Is it over the top? Is it good enough?

Friend, you’re asking yourself the wrong question. The only question that matters to help you decide if you should hit Publish:

Is it a miracle?

(PUBLISH)

Same trip – related posts:

This post is dedicated to Shara who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to book and re-book flights, get seat assignments, and keep me moving forward to my destination at all hours of the day and night.  Thank you Shara.

39 thoughts on “Flight Log: The Final Frontier”

  3. “His smile…a lighthouse beacon.” – My favorite line in this post…although the tears threatened a few times as I read. I am so grateful for your words, my friend. Thank you for being a part of my world.

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  4. Never stop writing my friend, we allneed something to turn away from the world. Still remember that race we were going to have in Fl and you were traing and you so eloquently wrote about ever mile. I read your post my friend, always smiling. You are a scholar..

    P.S. take the Bus next time lol

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  5. Unbelievable!! i had missed the lead up to this. How, I don’t really know, but I caught up, and wow.

    David, this: “This hobby. This community. This labor of love. This stringing of words together and having someone actually care to read it. A miracle drug. It stills and softens the mind. It injects peace where none formerly existed. Albert Camus said “In order to understand the world, one has to turn away from it on occasion.” This. THIS allows me to turn away from the world.”

    Stunning, and yes, a miracle drug. Always hit the publish button. Please.

    Safe travels.

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  6. yes, to all. and kudos to share, who never gave up. (and chicago is where i was born as well). i have fond memories there as a young child. i love this post today, captain. i’m happy your adventure is becoming a more positive one. i’m happy you are safe. and most of all, i’m happy you continue to hit ‘publish’, each and every time that you do.

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  7. It’s one of the best feelings in the word—coming to this place of peace and gratitude after a harrowing experience. And all you said about the blogging life feels so true to me, too. It softens and slows the mind. Thank the gods.
    May your travels all lead you back home, my friend.

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  8. How comforting to know that you have two homes – two places where love is guaranteed (not unconditionally mind you for after all we are human), solace and comfort is found and given generously. How beautiful to feel the ache for Eric in the vulnerability of the night and have a memory of him and Susan easily at hand. How fortunate are we – and so happy you hit ‘publish’ as I usually am. Happy you’ve landed safely – still think you deserve some wine.

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  9. I picked up my iPad this morning and one of the first things I thought was, “Hope that DK is safely are his destination and I hope to a God that he uploaded a post telling us how he got there!” You have a gift, David, and those who read along every day can see it. “Too big to figure out. Too important not to find a small corner of it to call my own.” Perfect. And I second Mimi’s advice–have a glass of wine…. 🙂

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  13. Your travel challenges resulted in a wonderful collection of random thoughts. So often I have same but do not put them down. I’m glad you hit Publish.

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  16. Reblogged this on THE STRATEGIC LEARNER and commented:
    Kanigan’s epic journey ends on an “Up” note.

    This is a very good example of making something positive out of a frustrating experience, using your creative juices instead of giving in to anguish or anger, and one of the important reasons that so many of us blog.

    Safe travels, David:)

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