Going to school at Alabama from Long Island, I spend just as much time on planes as I do in the car. It's something I used to have a deathly fear of, but the thought of being in a car for 16 hours is just as horrifying, so this fear of mine had to be conquered rather quickly. Although I've seen the same airports 25 times, and know exactly where the Chik-fil-a's and Starbucks are, flying is something I've grown to love.
Since COVID-19 struck and quarantine had me locked in, flying was something I didn't think I would miss, but boy was I wrong. I mean if you're anything like me, flight troubles are something that's almost expected when you travel. Weather delays, cancelled flights, maintenance troubles, you name it, I've experienced it. One time, my plane hovered in the air over Long Island for an hour because they couldn't find a place to land. With all these stories I have, why would I miss it? I thought going through the same airports every few months was boring, but try looking at the same 4 street signs on your way to work for 4 months straight.
This past week, I had the pleasure of finally flying again. I'm actually writing this to you as I travel back home. I ventured to Chicago to visit my friends from college, and it was exactly what I needed. Courtesy of Southwest Airlines, I was able to step out of my Long Island shell, and that's where the art of flying lies.
When you're young, you don't think about how much you haven't seen, and how much you may never be able to see. When you fly, you're guaranteed to always see someone, or something new. Whether that be a new sunrise, a new sunset, a new person, or new land, you get to experience something different, something you may never experience again, and something that will change your life. At 10,000+ feet in the air, you see all that there is to offer, and all that there is to explore.
A flight to a Birmingham brought me to a new beginning. A flight to Florida brought me to the Gulf of Mexico, a new body of water, to make unforgettable memories with my family on vacation. A flight to a Chicago brought me to Millennium Park to reunite with my friends that I haven't seen in four months. A flight to Costa Rica sparked my interest in the beauty of nature, which led to me beginning a potential career path in environmental engineering and climate change.
As I begin to start this journey called life, my one wish is that it starts with a plane ticket. You never know the path it will take you on, but you become appreciative of the memories that come with it. So to my parents that continuously dragged me onto planes as a child, thank you. You took my fear of heights and planes and let it turn into something I wish I could do more often. So if anyone's actually reading this, go get on that plane (wear a mask!), start your journey, and appreciate all that brings you to your destination.
