Write when you’re flying

I don’t give advice, but I guess I’ll make an exception like I’m some wise and experienced writer!

I’ve written a few of my stories while flying. To live is to suffer… and Just a moment in time…

I’ve always found that flying encompasses so many of life’s emotions, so much essence of our human existence: love, sadness, uncertainty, vulnerability, progress, moving through space and time, busy-ness, fatigue, co-existence with strangers.

Maybe you’ve just left someone who’s dear to you and the distance is growing by many miles with every passing second.

Maybe, on the contrary, you’re flying somewhere where you’ll soon embrace your dear ones.

Maybe you’re traveling for business. Time zones, your yesterdays and tomorrows become blurred.

Maybe you’re relocating, leaving your home for good, and flying toward something both exciting and uncertain.

Maybe you’re going on vacation, so it’s all joy and fun.

This is one of my favorite movies scenes (Love Actually).

I so agree with it: the arrivals wing of airports captures so much love. I’ve been there, I’ve seen it. When I was going through my long-distance relationship with my girlfriend (now my wife!) decades ago — hugging my love and kissing her lips after weeks, sometimes of months separation, were some of the most magic moments of my life. Moscow’s shit-ugly Sheremetievo airport was heaven on earth then.

More recently I’ve observed my kids wait in excitement for their grandmothers to finally step out in Los Angeles or San Francisco airports after their long international flight from Russia. Priceless, precious moments, full of pure love.

I’m about to fly with my daughter back to Florida. We spent a couple of days in Virginia where she was playing a tennis tournament. She didn’t do well; it wasn’t a great trip because of that, especially considering the expense. But it was fine. I have four kids and it’s always great to occasionally spend time with each one of them individually.

I’m not writing this on a plane. I don’t always pay for the internet on my flight, even if it’s just a few bucks. I won’t be paying this time.

But soon, in a couple of hours, we’ll be flying. Later today I will be seeing my dear wife and my other kids.

Life’s intense, full of motion.

One of my favorite songs is “The Tourist” by Radiohead.

It’s very dreamy. I always felt it reflects the intensity of my own life; and some of its words are about flying!

Sometimes I get overcharged
That’s when you
See sparks
They ask me where the hell
I’m going?
At a thousand feet per second

Hey man, slow down
Slow down
Idiot, slow down
Slow down

So write when you’re flying! There is always some story, some feelings behind your trip!

My daughter took this picture a couple of days ago when we were flying to Virginia