The Flight

I got on the airplane with a little hesitation. It was cloudy and very windy outside. I don't like flying anyway and I especially dislike it when there is bad weather to contend with. I knew the flight would be a short one this time but that wasn't really much of a comfort. I found my seat, stowed my carry on and strapped myself in. The plane was very full today. I looked out the window and wondered how much the strong gusts of wind would affect the flight. Soon everyone was boarded and we were preparing for take off. We started down the run way and into the air. The winds tossed the plane to and fro, making us pitch and sway like we were on a ship in the open seas. We climbed higher and higher, the wind still slamming against us. We were over the clouds soon enough, but the turbulence still seemed to affect us. I felt like I was on a roller coaster thousands of feet in the air and I was not comfortable at all. I realized how completely powerless I would be to do anything if something went wrong with the plane. I was growing more uncomfortable with each wave of turbulence that washed over the plane. Then I noticed the girl in the seat in front of me. We both had window seats and she was leaning on the arm of her seat peering out the window. She was beautiful. The most gorgeous child I had ever seen. She looked about four and was staring out the window with all the wonder of a fresh mind sponging up its surroundings. She had platinum blond hair that hung just below her shoulders with bangs that brushed her forehead, accentuating her amazing blue eyes. They were the color of the sky on a bright Arizona spring day. Her long dark eyelashes curled up in just the right way so as to frame her eyes like stones in a beautiful setting. Her cheeks were round and slightly pink and her chubby fingers rested on them as her hand held her shin. Her lips were plump and perfectly shaped, adding the finishing touches to her doll-like face. I marveled at the DNA that created such a child. She was beautiful beyond words, and, she was calm. Amid the pitching and rolling of the plane she sat calmly looking out the window, taking in all her eyes could see, pointing out things to her mother who was sitting next to her. There wasn't a hint of fear in her voice. She didn't even seem to notice that the plane was affected by the weather system outside. I wished that I could have had the same calm. Every time the plane dipped I felt my heart dropping out of my chest. I would have gladly had a child's mentality at that moment. The plane finally stabilized at a higher altitude and I grew comfortable in my seat. The little girl was still gazing out the window and I couldn't help but smile at her. She was certainly more "put together" than I was and I had to laugh at myself just a little.