“Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.” ― Anne Frank
Here we were, three people sitting side by side facing a long flight from Atlanta to Seattle. It was an evening flight so very little could be seen out the window. Much of what one sees from 35,000 feet is pretty plain anyway except for the occasional river or other large landmark. Forget about seeing anything when flying above the fluffy clouds.
I had my work and reading to do during the flight. I settled in with music in my ears and paperwork strewn about the little table in front of me. There are not very many things that can be strewn in such a small space, but I have a knack for doing it.
My seat was by the the window and my seat mates were Roberta in the middle seat and Joe held up the aisle area for us. They were a nice couple I deemed as they sat down. Travel weary to say the least as I would later confirm. Our age difference was noticeable but I could count them as either young parents to me or somewhere in-between.
As I grew tired of the reading and music, I removed my headphones, put away my papers and turned on the little television in front of me to the 'where are we' channel. This is the in-flight map although I call it differently as it fills that need inside of me to know where I am.
My need to know is an obsession of sorts.
When on a plane, you can not see out the front nor the back. The only frame of reference is the ground below you and unless you can make out obvious landmarks, knowing where you are is near impossible.
At that moment we happened to be flying over Scottsbluff, Nebraska. A small western town in the panhandle of the Cornhusker state. Not much out there except for sugar beet farms, open range land and some pretty cool natural monuments like Chimney Rock. The town of Scottsbluff was on the wagon trail for homesteaders moving west to great places such as California and Oregon.
There was nothing to see out the window except for darkness.
Roberta commented to me about the map and where I was heading. This opened up a conversation which reaffirmed my belief that change can happen at any point in life. I have written in "Changed Lives", you have the power to alter your condition. If things are not working out and you have tried everything within the circumstance, making a change can be the right thing to do.
As we spoke, I learned they were returning from a 20-some day vacation full of train, boat, car and plane rides. From the great Northwest to Central America and other equatorial locations, the wear on them was catching up. It is always good to "come home" and they had that look upon them.
Both lived in the northwest but each had come from the Minnesota area originally. Roberta had graduated a couple of years ahead of the famed songwriter Bob Dylan in Hibbing, MN. I'm not sure that she would have dated him because I imagine Bob being a bit 'odd' for the area given his talent. Joe was from the Minneapolis area and had a normal midwestern life and career.
Yet each found the other only six years ago.
Both came from divorce of marriages that had lasted many years. When you have been married for such a long time, the prospect of getting to experience that love ever again seems remote. But it happened for them and they are happy as can be. Roberta is retired now and Joe is in semi-retirement. As Joe stated, I'll work if and when I feel like it.
As we spoke, there was a thrill in Roberta's voice of her life and how it has all worked out. She was feeling the joy that many more years of love were going to give her. There was a spark of light in her eyes as she spoke of Joe and all that they would do together. This included moving back to Minnesota to be near her grandchildren.
As she put it, "grandchildren need their grandmother."
The details of their individual divorces have many of the same themes which run through all stories of divorce. Know from their example and the example of countless others, change is possible and will lighten your own heart.
There are things you might be going through today. It could be divorce, money issues, physical pain or any of a thousand other variations that life throws at us.
Just know that change or altering your circumstance is within your grasp.
You can make a change, you can choose a different path. Each day you are given the ability while in the plain, nondescript building near the crossroads of your life to choose change. When the door of opportunity opens and you see the light shining in, take your dreams and walk out into new possibility.
Be bold and willing to take the chance on something new.
It is most likely I will never see or hear of Roberta and Joe again. But the light of change each embraced will carry in my memory for a long time to come. Happy living and thank you to these two wonderful people.
Stay inspired my friends!
