Flying

“Ding! Ding! Ding!” The alarm went off early today and my heart skipped a beat. Flight day! I was up and calling a cab before I could even rub the sleep from my eyes. The cab ride to the airport felt longer than usual. I kept checking the time every other minute, half-worried I wouldn’t make it.

At the airport, there was that familiar rush of people. My bag, stuffed to the brim, tipped the scales a bit too much. A bit of a puzzle, moving things around, but it’s all part of the journey, isn’t it?

Going through security was easy this time—off with the belt, empty my pockets, and pull out the laptop. Usually, I beep and they check me all over, but not today. I walked through with no beeps. It felt like I won a little game.

Then came the walk to the boarding gate. Passed by a dozen shops, a world in miniature behind glass windows, everything just a bit pricier than outside. I made sure to stuff myself since they don’t give out snacks on the plane anymore.

An hour later, I was already onboard. I paid extra so I could get the window seat next to the toilet.

As the engines rev up, I can’t help but feel this deep, wide-eyed awe at how clever we are, how we've turned what was once impossible into just another day. It’s human innovation in action. Here we go!