Today’s post is being written on the fly…get it?
Actually, today I am practicing what I preach. There is nothing better than truly understanding the gift of family. Also, of practicing gratitude to whatever powers that be, especially in light of Sunday’s events.I awoke Sunday morning, happy to see the text at 5:00 am from my son , ” at the airport, getting ready to board.” Little did I know that my day was going to get pretty stressful after that message.
So I spent Sunday with my mother, who treated me to a live performance of School of Rock. ( Excellent, btw, don’t miss it ) As we are settling in, the second message comes from my traveling man. Apparently, his connecting flight is delayed. I message back, “why?” To which he replies, “power outage.” I again question – “the plane? ” And as the lights go down on Broadway, my phone flashes, “Nope, the whole airport.”
Flash forward – I spend ALL of Sunday and most of Monday texting my now stranded son and Delta. Somehow, although he was connecting and the final destination was home, in Florida, Delta thought they should reroute him to New Jersey, ( a short 3 hour jaunt) with a 4 hour layover, and then fly him 3 1/2 hours BACK to Florida. He would have been traveling for 28 hours with no food, no amenities and no sleep. Mama Bear mode kicked in, and I spent the entire night messaging with Delta, and my son. (Whoever said they need to sleep – it’s overrated) Long story short, after a couple of “misunderstandings” the amazing agent at the Atlanta airport got my son on a flight home in the early afternoon. Nonstop, thank you sir.
So, today, I am practicing gratitude. I am being mindful of every moment I have with all three of my children. The airport adventurer, the seasoned traveler (home today from his college with no fanfare) and the angst filled teen taking HS midterms. I am mindful of the supreme luck in having such awesome kids, the sheer dynamic of their sarcastic humor and the overall feeling of happiness that fills my heart.
Tonight, the last night of Chanukah, I am enjoying the gift of family and shared memories. I am looking forward to creating new memories. Ones where the love and laughter are alight along with the flames of the menorah. (OK, all 5 of them, and no, I don’t think it’s a fire hazard.) Sometimes the best gift of all, is the gift of time. Time to share with those we love, and to appreciate every mindful moment as it happens.
Live free, be mindful and motivated, and of course, caffeinated.
Happy holidays to all.