Landing thoughts

I don’t travel a ton, but I do a bit more than the average American. Confirmed this with the almighty Claude.

As I admired the lit-up Boston skyline while my plane was descending recently I found myself having those landing thoughts again. They only occur when I’m landing back home, not at the destination on the beginning of the journey. Must be because the journey has concluded. When it starts I’m either excited for fun times or gearing up to do business.

Coming home is always great. The journey away is not always great. But there’s a consistency to my thoughts as the familiar skyline comes into view no matter if the trip was delightful or draining. I find myself taking a bit of inventory and considering what I am carrying off the jet other than my baggage. What’s with me that wasn’t when I left? What did I miss and look forward to finding again? Am I smarter than I was when I exited the Callahan Tunnel a few days prior? Am I humbler? More grateful? What did I see that might make me see things a bit differently once those tires bounce on the runway?

I’m not suggesting that I am some wise, world traveler growing by leaps and bounds every few months. Nothing of the sort. These are fleeting thoughts that come to me in those short minutes as the ground gets closer. By the time I get to baggage claim or the taxi line I’m an impatient, tired Bostonian again and probably look every bit of it.

As I often do here I’m trying to make some sense of the things that rattle around in my overhead compartment. I don’t understand how these massive things stay in the air and why my plastic cup of water barely ripples at 30,000 feet. Maybe the miracle of flight and my impending safe landing triggers some perspective for a few precious minutes. Maybe the phone being off deserves the credit.

It’s good to fly from the nest and even better to return. For a few moments each time I find myself trying to land whether I’m any better as a result.