There’s something surreal about being suspended in the air —thousands of feet above the earth, watching the clouds float by like cotton dreams. In that quiet space between departure and arrival, time seems to pause, and the soul begins to whisper.

The stress of planning and getting ready for the flight melts once boarded. My Lyft ride arrived right on time. And though I thought I was ready to leave, last-minute, my suitcase wouldn’t zip up. Fear of messing the zip up now, or the Lyft driver leaving after five minutes, made me to carry the suitcase unzipped and bundled it in to the waiting car. The driver was nice – no judgment – simply smiled and helped. “My Mom is always like this no natter how long she’s been planning for her trip.” “Yeah, sounds familiar, right?” I replied.

It’s Southwest

I arrived in good time to check in. I’m sure you’ve heard that there are no more free-luggy on Southwest. The airline now charges for luggages except you’re flying Business or are an A-List member. Well, I thank Southwest for all these years of free-luggage service. We all will surely miss it. For real, it’s the only reason I religiously fly Southwest. But, now my loyalty is being tested. We’ll see how long it lasts.

Southwest’s business fares are typically more expensive (at least $100+) than the Wanna Get Away or Wanna Get Away Plus. And being an A-List member means you’ve flown with them numerous times and now are reaping the benefits. The rest of us have to pay $35 for the first bag; $45 for the second, $150 for the third, …. That was all I needed to know.

I tried to self-check at the kiosk and was told that I had to pay $80. But for some reason, I couldn’t find where to insert my credit card. And the kiosk had no Apple Pay. I finally asked an agent who said that I can be helped at the counter.

So I stepped to the counter for help thinking I’d just pay the $80 and be on my way. But, to my chagrin, one suitcase, the one that won’t zip, was overloaded. I almost passed out when the agent told me how much I had to pay for it. So, began a back-and-forth dialogue … why would the kiosk tell me one thing and you tell me another? Wait for Part 2 to find out how this was resolved.

R-E-L-I-E-F!!!

Through TSA to the gates, thank goodness for the TSA Precheck. If you don’t have it yet, I’ll recommend you to get it FAST. It’s like day-and-night. It lasts you for five years and it’s worth every penny and effort you spent on getting it.

I couldn’t wait to board and heave a sigh of relief. But, boarding was another hour-and-a-half. I still wonder why water bottles are not allowed through TSA. I bought a $3 water bottle and drowned it up so fast and loud you’d think that I hadn’t had water for days. I seized the opportunity to get some more steps in to while the moment.

Finally, it was time to board. A full flight but still got a good seat

Reflections

Up here, or there, in between the clouds, everything looks smaller — houses like tiny dots, cars crawling like ants, cities reduced to a glittering puzzle of lights and roads. And in that shrinking of the world below, my thoughts became louder. My worries, too, momentarily began to shrink. The weight I carried so heavily on the ground seems lighter when viewed from the altitude.

Maybe that’s the first lesson:
🟡 Perspective changes everything.

The things I obsessed over — deadlines, misunderstandings, unmade beds, dirty dishes, or even big life decisions — seem less pressing from above. The higher I go, the more I realized how much time I had spent clinging to things that don’t deserve that kind of power.

Second lesson:
🟡 You don’t have to be in control to be safe.

On the ground, I’m the planner. The fixer. The mover. But in this seat, I’ve surrendered all control. A stranger is flying the plane. I can’t see the path. I don’t know when turbulence might come. And yet — I’m still safe. Still moving. Still being carried.

Isn’t that just like life sometimes? We fight for control, but much of the journey requires trust — trusting God, the process, and even the silence in between.

Third lesson:
🟡 Stillness is not stagnation.

This flying taught me that motion doesn’t always feel like movement. You can sit still and still be going somewhere. The engines are doing the work. The route is charted. Without the route map, it’s so hard to know whether we’re moving or just hovering over a spot. My job, and that of everyone on board, was to rest. Reflect. Recover. To be present in the pause.

Up there, I am, and the 150 other passengers, were reminded:

• To zoom out more often
•  To hold loosely what we grip so tightly
•  To breathe, not just exist

Because even though I’ll land back on solid ground soon, I want to carry this altitude mindset with me. I want to see my world from above, even when my feet are planted below.

But, wait a minute: Why all the reflections today? Why this flight? Why now?