LUGGAGE Lady

Contemplations about Life, Love, & the Pursuit of Meaningful Existence…

Archive for the category “Reflective”

13 Oct 2012
7 Comments

Unexpected Friend

 

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Through murky visibility

An unexpected comrade emerges

A friendship I’ve done nothing to earn

Yet a sturdy shoulder patiently awaits

Reaching toward me with such astonishing kindness

My burdens begin to dissipate into the clearing fog

I thank these earthly angels for teaching me the importance

Of maintaining an open heart in life’s tempestuous sea

Because that person with whom you share little in common

The one who seems so different

May well rescue your troubled spirit

Perhaps under the most harrowing conditions

Posted in Gratitude, Inspirational, Life, Photography, Poetry, Reflective, Relationships, Society and tagged , , ,
07 Oct 2012
2 Comments

Somewhere…

 

Somewhere-Luggage-Lady-Blog

Somewhere

A hand yearns to be held

A smile seeks a worthy recipient

An earnest glance scans the horizon for congenial eyes

Somewhere

A heart aches to hear

Words whispered with such compassion

That light returns to corners long obscured by rejection

Increasing the tempo of a beat diminished by too many goodbyes

Somewhere

A soul eagerly awaits

That extraordinary individual

Willing to plunge headfirst into crashing waves

Despite past failures

Who surfaces with uninhibited gusto

Emotional doors cast wide open

A spirited demeanor that creates a stir even among observers

Prompting them to reevaluate their own cynicism

Somewhere

Someone

Could it be you?

Posted in Baggage, Inspirational, Life, Love, Photography, Poetry, Reflective, Relationships and tagged , , , ,
02 Oct 2012
4 Comments

Definition of a Day

 

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The span linking one midnight to the next

Earth’s full rotation

A lone card played from time’s thick deck

One thousand four-hundred and forty minutes

What is the definition of a day?

Many overflow with productivity

Some stand out as pinnacles of celebration

While others become hurdles to endure

Counting down the seconds until a new day dawns

Every 24-hour cycle presents an opportunity

 Wills yours be punctuated by a mere handful of exclamation points

Strung together by tedious dashes?

Or will you greet each sunrise with the ravenous curiosity of a child?

As the moments trickle to an end,

Will your lives be a compilation of daring strides?

Or timid steps?

When the bells toll her final song

That choice will have been each of ours to make

Posted in Inspirational, Life, Life Lessons, Photography, Poetry, Reflective and tagged , , ,
18 Sep 2012
15 Comments

The Power of a Song

 

Power-of-a-Song-Luggage-Lady-Blog

It’s been said that love is the universal language, but I’ve endured moments of solitude — with love nowhere on the horizon — when a song set my heart afire.

Dismantling cultural barriers, music both unifies and liberates. Listeners may sway shoulder-to-shoulder to an identical tune, yet enjoy entirely different interpretations of how the lyrics punctuate their life stories.

I can be anywhere in the world when a familiar melody draws me so swiftly inside, I merely close my eyes and savor the nostalgia as I savor a trip down memory lane.

Who was I then?

What were my dreams and worries?

What composed my happiness and sorrows?

How did I arrive where I am today?

Could I have ever predicted it back then?

The timeless universality of a harmony stays fresh in ways that past loves cannot.

A captivating refrain.

A brief journey backward.

And I’m in the present once again, with a fleeting melancholy for those souls whose paths I was fortunate enough to cross — if only briefly.

Posted in Life, Music, Photography, Reflective and tagged , , , ,
11 Sep 2012
5 Comments

Thank You Military Personnel

I was working a flight over Labor Day Weekend when one of our country’s finest came aboard. As flight attendants, we had three clues:

(1) His camouflage backpack.

(2) His humble attitude (he sat in the very last row).

(3) A fellow passenger who’d spoken with him in the gate area and couldn’t wait to tell us about our esteemed cargo, making certain we were aware he hadn’t been home from Afghanistan since Christmas!

He slept the duration of the flight, but upon landing our lead attendant announced that we had military personnel on board and could everyone kindly give him the courtesy of deplaning first? I’d heard about this respectful gesture being extended in various venues around our beautiful country, but until I stood at the front of that airplane and listened to the thunderous applause, while this brave defender of our freedoms marched up the aisle, high-fiving every passenger sitting on the aisle (with others reaching out as far as their limbs would allow — just to make contact), I had never experienced the magnitude of appreciation from my fellow citizens.

I am boundlessly grateful for the military men and women who keep us safe each and every day — and for those who take the time to acknowledge their service and sacrifice.

Posted in Flight Attendant, Gratitude, Military, Photography, Reflective, Travel and tagged , , , , ,
08 Sep 2012
12 Comments

The Fear of Being Forgotten

 

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From the moment you utter your first sentence, people want to know what you’re going to do with your life. You grow up doing your best to carve a respectable path and make those who raised you proud. Year after year, you carefully construct your life. And then, one day, you feel a prickle tingling up the base of your neck. Just as success begins to reward you with the faintest salute, a thought wiggles its way into your brain:  What legacy will you leave?

Why is the possibility of being forgotten such a deep-seated fear that it is an actual phobia (Athazagoraphobia)?

Choose me

Invite me

Call me

Befriend me

Hire me

Love me

Marry me                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 MISS ME

Like a drug — the need for continuous acknowledgment lures us into worlds we may not even wish to inhabit — because no one wants to be that overlooked person who causes others to scratch their heads and exclaim (with eyes glazing over), “I don’t think I recall him/her…”

So what will it be? A grandiose discovery or invention? A prosperous corporation? Champion of some life-altering cause? A fascinating work of art? A popular compilation of songs or books? Honorable service to your country?

Maybe not. Perhaps you will accomplish something that garners less notoriety but is equally significant. An incredible parent, mentor, teacher, coach, neighbor, preacher, spouse — friend??

I wonder who is more content in the end — the person who swung ruthlessly from ring to brass ring, trampling any obstruction along the way? Or the one, without all the plaques and accolades lining their walls, who served as an upstanding citizen and role model, trustworthy friend (no matter the hour), and tireless caregiver reaching out, time and again, with a reassuring smile to aid the wavering gait of another?

Posted in Baggage, Family, Photography, Reflective and tagged , , ,
03 Sep 2012

I Can’t Move the Sun

 

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I overheard a young boy and his mother conversing on the airplane the other day. The sun was hitting the wing, shooting blinding rays through the small window and causing the little one to screech that he couldn’t see.

“I can’t move the sun,” his mother wearily replied.

Such an obvious observation, yet how many of us invest a significant chunk of precious life trying to alter that which cannot be changed?

The passenger sitting by the window politely closed the shade, which triggered more questions. Does turning a blind eye on our issues make for a lighter load or do we exasperate the burdens by sweeping them beneath an already bulky rug?

Are we defined by our personal heritage, with every fear and doubt ever planted by a parent/friend/lover/acquaintance building like a rip current throughout our cells, capable of dragging us beneath raging seas? Is it pompous to think we can sort through the contents of our hearts, discarding the painful parts at our leisure?

In my optimistic moments, I spy a lifeboat waiting to whisk me away from every last problem. At other times, I worry the past is inescapably entrenched in each of us — no different from the air we breathe, spilling without conscious thought onto the face of every new encounter.

Perhaps there is a middle ground. One where we pull the shade halfway, sparing ourselves the retina burn while still harnessing the sun’s energy, helping us move forward  — a little brighter each time.

Posted in Baggage, Family, Flight Attendant, Inspirational, Life, Photography, Reflective, Relationships and tagged , , | Leave a comment
29 Aug 2012
3 Comments

Relativity of a Bad Day

 

Relativity-of-a-Bad-Day-Luggage-Lady-Blog

Traffic jams, poor service, unexpected bills, rejection, an aloof neighbor, a bad hair day — whatever sends you sulking over to the woe is me corner. It’s all too easy to get caught up in our own drama, unraveling scrolls of examples to depict how the world is out to get us.

Then, something happens to detract your attention, morphing all those issues into utter trivia…

And so it was, I found myself in a crèche (orphanage for AIDS babies) in the Alexandra Township of Johannesburg, South Africa. The dwelling was no larger than two-hundred square feet. The floor lined with what looked like miniature blue yoga mats. These mats were not for fancy contortions, however, but rather beds where the children slept elbow-to-elbow. My heart pounded. I blinked. I swallowed.

We’d arrived early in the morning and the little ones were still sleeping, but when our guide introduced his “friends from America,” they rose, racing over to greet us. Throwing their arms around my knees — or wherever they could grab on — they hugged me as if I were someone special.

My day had begun with a malfunctioning alarm clock that sent my jet-lagged body scrambling, with no time for a shower, breakfast, or caffeine. Now, as I stood there with these precious little arms clinging to me, I felt uncontrollable emotion building. My so-called “problems of the day” — or any day for that matter — evaporated. I would never know true suffering. Gigantic eyes gazed curiously up at me, and I didn’t want them wondering why the silly American lady was sad. I promptly clamped teeth over my lower lip until I tasted blood and lowered myself to the floor so I could properly visit.

When the temptation arises to whine about life’s injustices, I try to recapture how I felt in that moment. Pity parties can attract a slew of fellow revelers and even be therapeutic on occasion, but in the end they are “parties” in comparison to the true hardships of the world.

Posted in Gratitude, Inspirational, Life, Life Lessons, Photography, Psychology, Reflective, Society, Travel and tagged , , ,
25 Aug 2012
1 Comment

Travel’s Lingering Grasp

 

Travel's-Lingering-Grasp-Luggage-Lady-Blog

Wisdom and appreciation accumulate, obliterating preconceived notions and expanding one’s senses with each new venture. A foreign land brings endless unknowns, quickly leveling the playing field. Ego is stripped away. You may be a successful (fill in the blank) in your homeland, but here? Here, you are just an explorer with curiosity as your compass and the incredible opportunity to delight in the spirit of the world’s populace.

Travel has bestowed timeless gifts, the magic of each journey leaving a permanent impression on my soul. I’ve experienced unparalleled hospitality, cultural pride, generous smiles from impoverished strangers (selflessly offering the one thing they could), unwavering determination, majestic landscapes, unique sounds smells and flavors. I’ve been catapulted thousands of years backward in time, touring churches, castles, palaces, museums, and ruins. History lures me beneath her vast wing again and again, a humbling reminder that we are mere transients whose stories unfold far too fast.

 

Posted in Adventure, Inspirational, Life, Life Lessons, Photography, Reflective, Travel and tagged , , , ,
21 Aug 2012
2 Comments

Another Chance

 

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Orange fiery bursts

Dance uninhibited across the western horizon

Rose and lavender clouds

Splay against the sky’s blank canvas

Another day history

Hopes heightened

Dreams cultivated

Friendships formed

Lives altered

As the light fades

An intangible promise prevails

Another sunset

Another chance

Posted in Inspirational, Life, Philosophy, Photography, Poetry, Reflective and tagged , , ,

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