24 June 2014

flying: the good side

While flying to Detroit and Toronto has been problematic, flying to Amsterdam has almost always gone well for Matthijs and I. (I have to admit I'm trying not to read too much into that! The reality, I think, is simply that international flights are almost always more reliable than national/local).

Today I am flying, and it is going well. A friend/student picked me up and put me in a good mood with his cheerfulness and niceness. The bus left and arrived on time. My first flight also arrived on time. The next flight looks to be on time. There's been internet and outlets in both airports!

The best part, however, has been the sense that this is extra free time. I am flying, so I am busy. No one is expecting me to do anything, and so I can email (or not). I can read whatever books I'd like (and thanks to my housemate, I got a chance to explore NT Wright's Revelation for Everyone - his explanation of chapter 12 was really good!). And while I was biking(!) I got to read more of 'Who's got time? Spirituality for a Busy Generation'. In the Philadelphia terminal, there are exercise bikes and rocking chairs, and I couldn't resist trying them out.

As I was biking, it was fun to watch the people go by and to see their expressions as they saw people biking along the pathway. It was a very tangible way to be reminded of the world around me, especially as my simple actions could not only bring me joy but also bring a smile to others. Such a reminder to pay attention is one that I can never hear enough of. Perhaps I'll have to check out the rocking chairs next :)

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