I love flying.  Something happens when I step into an airplane.  My heart beats faster and my palms grow clammy as I anticipate the journey and destination.  Buckling myself in tightly, I sit back in wonder over the invention of flight.  It’s fascinating and truly amazing that we can move around the world so quickly and for the most part, comfortably.

Gorgeous!

As the roar of the engine builds up and the intensity of speed increases, I relax.  The window seat is my favorite.  As we climb higher, lifting above the pearly, white clouds, my spirit is welcomed.  Souring high and fast at 35,000 feet, I gain perspective as I am forced to slow down.  All my worries, fears, and anxieties slip away with the jet stream.   On a clear day, I see the tiny world below.  Cities turn into anthills, while the magnificent tapestry of the layered landscape jumps into focus.  From this view, my problems grow small.  Again, I am reminded of my size in this world.  I am but a tiny star in the galaxies of creation.

“You haven’t seen a tree until you’ve seen its shadow from the sky.”

~ Amelia Earhart

I sense that I’m not the only one that enjoys flying.  People around me, from all walks of life, seem to let their shoulders down when they rise above the ground.  As we are forced to unplug from everydayness, many envelop this space as a gift.  Some catch up on much needed sleep, while others dive into the passionate world of words.  Reading and writing (real writing) takes place.  Dreams and ideas take flight.  For a tiny while, we experience what it’s like to just “be.”

“The air up there in the clouds is very pure and fine, bracing and delicious.  And why shouldn’t it be?  – it is the same the angels breathe.

~Mark Twain, “Roughing It”

Last week I flew to Tennessee.  Along the way, I met a beautiful and eclectic group of strangers; each with a story and each with a different destination.  Yet, for a few hours, we shared life together; through conversation and through quiet time.  Through smiles and tears, we shared a child’s first experience of flight.  We witnessed a mother caring for her newborn, who undoubtedly rested in a deep seeded peace, knowing all would be well.

Playing in the Clouds

On my return flight, I met a man.  For a short while, we shared deep, wonder-filled conversation.  We cut through the small talk and wrestled with the real, authentic, “unknowing” parts of life.  We talked about God, the Bible, family, chemo therapy, building prisons (his occupation), and making eye contact with some of the worst of the worst in modern humanity.  The conversation was real.  Challenging, yet fulfilling.  The strange part about strangers is that they’re not so strange after all.  Yet, our modern times have hurried our pace, leaving us little room to interact with those in front of us, all the time, every day.  Our conversation that day was a blessing to my life.  Our words will remain with me for some time.

Flying reminds me that I don’t have all things figured out, and that that’s perfectly alright.  It teaches me to rise above, to see everything from a new view, in order to gain perspective and clarity.  It inspires me to keep going, to keep looking, and to keep curious.  It asks me to just live, and to live well.

“When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”

~ Leonardo Da Vinci

I love flying.  How about you?

One of my favorite childhood memories is the magical and moving power behind a good story.  I loved to fly with Peter Pan, chase Tinkerbell (fireflies), and tap my shoes like Dorothy.   As an adult, I still carry a sense of awe over how each one of these stories bring me back to the playfulness and curiosity of a child.  Why do we have to grow up?   If you have not yet seen the movie Finding Neverland, I highly recommend it.  Here’s a tiny peek…..it’s a powerful reminder to keep laughter and creativity in our lives.  

So, with this theme, I’d love to share a short story that invites imagination and emotion into your day.  Never forget that the simple things in life matter.  It’s never too late to be a light for others.  Enjoy!          

 

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room’s only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.

And every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn’t hear the band – he could see it in his mind’s eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Days and weeks passed.

One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it for himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.

It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, “Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.”

By:  Author Unknown
 

“Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today.”

~ Robert McAfee

What childhood stories still influence you today?  When was the last time you created room to soak in your imagination?

Simplicity has reignited my passion for imagination and creativity.  Why do so many of us lose this as we step into adulthood?  As I seek to look at places, people, and things with fresh eyes, I’m discovering a bright, new world!  I’m excited. 

Just for fun, here are two simple ways that I recently created use out of something that would normally be placed in the recycling bin.

Black Bean Can = Scissor Container, Salsa Jar = Cotton Ball Holder

“The world is but a canvas to the imagination.”

~Henry David Thoteau

In what areas of life are you most creative?  How have you reused and repurposed items that were destined for the trash and recycling bins?