On a 10 p.m. flight, I sit crunched against the side of a window, an entire row to myself. I am living the traveler's dream. The routine "if we are gonna crash make sure you put that oxygen mask on" speech is given with the required flight attendant demo. Having heard this speech a million times before I sit with headphones on, quite the rebel, I know.
We take flight, and I mindlessly sit continuing to shove the free mini pretzels from southwest into my mouth. Continuing to regret my decision of not getting water. The lights go dim in the cabin, and I turn my gaze to the window. A sense of awe comes over me. Not just because of the entire row I have, but the way the sky dances in stars. These essential balls of gas are millions of miles away but manage to shine still through the clouds. It's amazing just to realize we are only one galaxy of the millions. But even more fascinating are the city lights below illuminating the shape of landscapes. From this altitude all you see are these lights and how still everything looks. Up here the only sound is the continuous rotation of the turbines. But the world illuminated below is not still by any means; all those lights are places filled with people. People who are living. Someone right now is giving birth to their new daughter, someone is dying, someone just got married, someone is having their first kiss, someone is getting their heartbroken...
And it hits you; you are such a small piece in this thing called life.
Flying up here makes you realize so many things will not matter in a year. That fight will not matter, and that breakup will pass because time heals everything. This world is so vast, and there are so many places to see and so many people to experience, why would you ever want to confine yourself to a cage of existence?
People hurt us; people leave us. I know these things jade us from trusting and loving. But there are over eight billion other humans who are breathing, living and loving on this earth. People who one day will be our spouses, our maids of honor, our brother-in-laws, our friends. We will never have these experiences of something new if we don't let go of the old. People are placed into your life for a reason. Whether you believe in God or some extraordinary force that controls the way the world turns, there are experiences in life we need to go through. I know it's hard just to accept the way life works sometimes, but there is a bigger purpose we owe to ourselves. It is to live. Live your life to the fullest and love with your entire self.
Right now someone is flying over your city, looking at the stillness of your lights.
Be one of those lights and just live.
