It’s 5 am and I am sitting at the airport people watching as I reconnect with old comforts and delightful surprises. This is my third trip to the airport in the last three weeks and I find myself in a place of gratitude for the simple things that at one time may have seemed like a hassle are now next level enjoyable again.
These trips remind me of the excitement I felt when I first started traveling. I found my independence traveling and discovered my authentic self. The wanderer – one of my favorite quotes is “not all who wander are lost.”
My vision of the airport as the window to the world has always brought me joy. Now more than ever. The last two years of minimal travel were stunting me in a big way. Now that I am back in my travel routine, I feel inspired by the movement. I feel detached from mental clutter as each trip is a new adventure. I look forward to meeting new people, having new conversations, and building a larger world to surround me.
I like to travel early in the morning for many reasons including traffic and fewer delays since I know the flight I will be taking is already at the airport from the night before. To leave on a say 9 am flight vs the 6 am flight, there is an additional two hours needed to be allowed for traffic to the airport and there is also a chance the flight would be delayed from its previous destination. These are some of the little fun facts that have naturally come back to me even though it has been two years since I traveled weekly. It is amazing what our brains remember and what routines can organically flow back into our lives.
Last night I had an in-studio visit to a sports show downtown, I got back to my place around 8 pm. I gathered my things for this little trip and by 9 pm was ready to lay down for an extended nap till 2 am. Here is where the delightful surprises come into play. I had a moment of doubt that I wouldn’t be able to sleep mixed with a moment of panic I would not wake up to my alarm at 2 am, but after training my body to adapt to time and time zones for most of my life, I fell effortlessly back in the zone.
I woke up at 1:50, 10 minutes before my alarm. I laughed when I looked at my phone and turned off my alarm. I was laughing at my own self-doubt from the night before. Just comical that at any point in time, I would doubt my tenacity. You should know that in all my years of travel, I have never missed a flight. I tell you this because that was my second talk with myself this morning after laughing at my self-doubt.
As I sat looking out the window, listening to ESPN up all night, watching the stillness of the city, I thought back to the hundreds of times I have made this early morning trip to the airport. I felt a comfort that was soothing, with an excitement that was delightful. It was at that moment that I realized I should write to you today before I boarded my flight.
Though I can’t tell you where I am going, I can tell you you will find out soon enough! Lol – I can also tell you this is just the beginning for me in 2022. I may not match the era when I was flying between 25-35,000 miles a month, I just might come close.
For each flight, I will be wearing the most important thing, a smile.