On Cuties and Flying

Today was an epiphany. You know what mean. An "Our Town" moment. Personally, I'm on the brink of a whole new chapter in my life. I know that--deep down inside. I'm sitting in the airport in Dallas people-watching during my layover. I suddenly decide to eat one my Cuties. (thanks Dad for those) I pull it out, peel it and scarf it down. Quick.  And a little while later I realize there's a sweet taste in my mouth and I remember the Cutie. It's finally time to board and as I'm entering the plane I have one of those moments---"did I go down the right gangway?" I was living life rotely at the moment. So, I ask the flight attendant as I enter, "are we going to Greenville?" She smiles and says, "yes, unless you'd like to go somewhere else." I assured her I was fine with the destination. I get to my seat--there are two sets of twins in the rows behind me --- oh crap, I think, lots of crying babies.
I have a window seat and I'm looking out on the tarmac not seeing anything. So, I pull out the magazine my sister gave me at Christmas with a brown paper note attached -- "for inspiration". I looked thru it once quickly and I start to look again -- we haven't even left the gate yet. And the flight attendant comes on and welcomes us and says we're headed to...and here she pauses long enough to catch my attention. I look up and she's laughing as she catches herself and says, "Greenville" right as we make eye contact. We share a smile.  I go back to my magazine. A couple of pages later we get started and take off. And then, 2 of the children start screaming. At that moment, I thought again of the Cutie. It had been sweet and simple and basically perfect and I had taken hardly 30 seconds to enjoy it. I looked down at my "inspiration" magazine. I look out the window and realize--I'm flying. I mean, I'm literally flying through the sky. I can see the earth below me with its roads and dwellings and patterns of farms and-- I'm FLYING over them. I'm going from one side of the country to the other in a matter of hours.
Why the heck did I not slow down and enjoy each lovely slice of the Cutie? The river below me really does look like a black snake making its way across the open farmland---it looks like a piece of art, with purposeful, intricate weaving through lines of fields.
I opened my bottle of water--the first swallow tastes sweet--so cold, clear and it seems to be like honey to me.
It's super cold outside and my breath fogs up the window on the inside as I look carefully at the ice-crystals on the outside of the window. Intricate, tiny sculptures.  I breathed on it again and left a message for the next passenger. :)
I started to scribble these thoughts down in the margins of the "inspiration magazine" till my pen died.
It turned into a delightful journey of experiencing each stimuli slowly and deliberately. Does anyone really stop and enjoy Life ... every, single moment?
The flight attendant's name was Marna.
Every once in a while, my breath would fog the window and I would see my message. It makes me smile now to think about it.

Today's lesson on the airplane was: Deep breath. Slow down. Think. Enjoy. Relish.