topic Re: In Plane Sight in Community Chat

In Plane Sight

Desert Lily — Sat, 23 Apr 2022 15:25:55 GMT

In an earlier post, I said I was "leaving on a jet plane."

Well ... I landed.

I sat next to the window on the first flight. We took off and as we circled into the turn to head east, I could see the landmarks near my house and the clustered orange-tiled roofs of neighborhoods. I wondered which house might be mine, which roof sealed the walls holding cherished memories of over 20 years with my family, friends, & neighbors. I stretched to try to get a glimpse of the Veterans' cemetery where I had buried my father & mother, but it was out of sight. I closed my eyes partly to use my lids as wipers to clear the wet tears and partly to see my parents in my mind as they had been during our loving times together. And an image of my best friend there who had passed unexpectedly. I was leaving them behind.

The plane climbed higher, and my view changed to the dry parched land. The lake had shriveled to 2/3 of its size. Most of the boat docks were gone, and any green foliage that once stood had fallen away. It hadn't rained since last year, and during the pandemic we didn't have a drop of rain for over a year. The drought etched its mark in the West.

The Las Vegas Harry Reid Airport rocked! The employees were warm, helpful, & informative. Vegas knows how to do hospitality right. Waiting passengers enjoyed talking about someone who had just won $thousands on a slot machine in the airport. It was in contrast to my next stop at O'Hare, where it was business as usual.

When the aircraft approached my final destination on the East Coast, I saw some round areas on the ground that were shining. It took a moment to process that they were puddles. Puddles! I couldn't remember the last time I saw puddles of rain water. It was almost midnight, but on my ride to the hotel I could see leaves gently waving on the trees.

Two days later, I closed on my new house. Out an upstairs bedroom window I saw a large pond surrounded by trees at the back. The green grass around the pond was dotted with yellow. Dandelions. Instantly, I remembered making wishes on floating "dandelion angels" as a child and realized I hadn't seen one of those yellow magnificent royal flowers in decades.

Then I heard a noise and saw some things moving on the pond. Ducks. Ducks were proudly swimming and claiming that water as their new home. I grew up on a Great Lake and yearned to see the wildlife once again. My eyes puddled up once again. This is my home, too.

Re: In Plane Sight

On It — Sat, 23 Apr 2022 15:33:19 GMT

Thank you for the post. I have been thinking of you and your little fur baby. The hardest part is behind you. Letting go is never easy, but you were brave and now you have a new, exciting life waiting to happen.

Re: In Plane Sight

Elodie2 — Sat, 23 Apr 2022 15:37:25 GMT

So beautifully and poignantly written. Best to you in all that comes next.

Re: In Plane Sight

LdyBugz — Sat, 23 Apr 2022 15:39:46 GMT

@Desert Lily Thank you for sharing your thoughts about your journey. They way you described everything made me feel like I was witnessing it all with you. It actually made me a little melancholy for my roots in the midwest.

I hope your new home is all that you anticipate and that you create many, many happy memories there! 😀

~LdyBugz

Re: In Plane Sight

shoechic — Sat, 23 Apr 2022 15:49:01 GMT

That's so beautiful. I felt like I was there with you. You should have a blog!

*hugs* @Desert Lily

Re: In Plane Sight

Terrywu — Sat, 23 Apr 2022 15:49:11 GMT

The very best of luck in your new adventure. Your post was so nice to read.

Re: In Plane Sight

Tique — Sat, 23 Apr 2022 16:00:31 GMT

@Desert Lily I felt like I was a companion during your plane ride. You detailed everything so vividly and emotionally. Thank you for sharing your experience.

Re: In Plane Sight

Kachina624 — Sat, 23 Apr 2022 16:15:13 GMT

@Desert Lily One door closes and another opens.... Welcome to your new life.

Re: In Plane Sight

golding76 — Sun, 24 Apr 2022 04:27:43 GMT

May you have nothing but happy memories in your new home!

The account of your trip and discoveries that awaited you in your new geographic locale was moving. I recently wrote on this forum that even the newly emerged dandelions in my area "made me smile." Dandelions are not weeds. My late maternal grandmother would gather and boil them, eating the greens.

Water. Life. Joy.

Re: In Plane Sight

781Florist — Sun, 24 Apr 2022 02:41:07 GMT

I felt like I was making that trip with you. Beautifully written.

Wishing you many years of health and happiness in your new location.

Re: In Plane Sight

qvcfreak — Sun, 24 Apr 2022 04:26:30 GMT

Your writing was so vivid, I could picture everything with you. You did great, the best is yet to come.

Re: In Plane Sight

depglass — Sun, 24 Apr 2022 22:17:37 GMT

I have tears in my eyes from your beautiful writing. Also from the fact we have a cottage on a Great Lake, Superior to be exact. Our home is in the woods so between these two places we have trees and wildlife all year.

Re: In Plane Sight

Lucky Charm — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 01:02:01 GMT

@Desert Lily wrote:
In an earlier post, I said I was "leaving on a jet plane."
Well ... I landed.

I sat next to the window on the first flight. We took off and as we circled into the turn to head east, I could see the landmarks near my house and the clustered orange-tiled roofs of neighborhoods. I wondered which house might be mine, which roof sealed the walls holding cherished memories of over 20 years with my family, friends, & neighbors. I stretched to try to get a glimpse of the Veterans' cemetery where I had buried my father & mother, but it was out of sight. I closed my eyes partly to use my lids as wipers to clear the wet tears and partly to see my parents in my mind as they had been during our loving times together. And an image of my best friend there who had passed unexpectedly. I was leaving them behind.

The plane climbed higher, and my view changed to the dry parched land. The lake had shriveled to 2/3 of its size. Most of the boat docks were gone, and any green foliage that once stood had fallen away. It hadn't rained since last year, and during the pandemic we didn't have a drop of rain for over a year. The drought etched its mark in the West.

The Las Vegas Harry Reid Airport rocked! The employees were warm, helpful, & informative. Vegas knows how to do hospitality right. Waiting passengers enjoyed talking about someone who had just won $thousands on a slot machine in the airport. It was in contrast to my next stop at O'Hare, where it was business as usual.

When the aircraft approached my final destination on the East Coast, I saw some round areas on the ground that were shining. It took a moment to process that they were puddles. Puddles! I couldn't remember the last time I saw puddles of rain water. It was almost midnight, but on my ride to the hotel I could see leaves gently waving on the trees.

Two days later, I closed on my new house. Out an upstairs bedroom window I saw a large pond surrounded by trees at the back. The green grass around the pond was dotted with yellow. Dandelions. Instantly, I remembered making wishes on floating "dandelion angels" as a child and realized I hadn't seen one of those yellow magnificent royal flowers in decades.

Then I heard a noise and saw some things moving on the pond. Ducks. Ducks were proudly swimming and claiming that water as their new home. I grew up on a Great Lake and yearned to see the wildlife once again. My eyes puddled up once again. This is my home, too.

The part of your story that caught my attention was the airports. (Didn't know Harry Reid had and airport. We just called it *Las Vegas* airport.) Maybe it wasn't named after Reid then--in the 90's.

But O'Hare.....what a hero he was! I know his story well.

Anyways, on to the puddles. Yes-- you will see puddles and rain clouds and downpours and rainbows and lush green lawns and trees and shrubs and they don't need watering systems, usually. But, people will still run them regardless.....

Welcome to the East Coast!