This poem titled "Airplanes", I wrote when I was traveling to Texas for this leadership retreat with Slippery Rock during the winter break. At that point I had been on an airplane fourteen times and now after a little under a year, I have been on a plane twenty-seven times. I always joke around that I practically live at airports because of my constant traveling, but as I flew across the country for what felt like the millionth time, I began to realize what my life has turned out to be after traveling so much. So this poem is what my life is like living in airports.

I have a love-hate relationship

With planes.

I hate to be confined to the small space

Of seat 34F

Leaning against a window

Watching as the plane takes flight,

But I love sitting in 34F

Leaning against a window

Watching as the plane lifts off the ground

And ascends into the air.

I hate being surrounded by people

I don't know and probably never will,

But I love being surrounded by people

Who I will never know

And imaging where this flight is taking them.

I hate the dizziness

Of cabin pressure change,

But I love being dizzy

As the air is sucked out of me.

I hate sitting in seat 34F

For hours never knowing

Where I am,

But I love sitting in seat 34F

For hours never knowing

Where I could be

And where I could end up.

I hate when my flight gets delayed,

But I love getting delayed

So I can watch the other planes take off

And wonder where they're going.

I hate having to pack so little,

But I love packing so little

So I learn what I need and what I don't

And what's valuable and what's not.

I have developed this relationship

With planes

Where I hate to travel,

But I love the adventure of it.

I've met people who have never flown before

And people who have traveled

All their lives.

I've seen so many beautiful places

Without even leaving the airport.

I've felt absolute dread

Of missing my flight home,

And I've felt complete rejoice

Seeing the twinkling lights of home.

I've felt terrifying turbulence,

And I've seen fantastic sunrises.

I hate traveling across the country

To go home for a few days

But I love traveling across the country

To go home for a few days

Because

The day becomes an adventure.