Buckled in a plane, the engine droning steadily in the background, not a notification alert to be heard, high in the sky with clarity of mind, and I feel relief. How often do you get a moment like this, so entirely to yourself?
But what to do with that time? (It’s like asking myself what I should do on the occasion I have the house to myself. Sing showtunes at the top of my lungs?)
My recipe for a plane ride is to pack snacks and download a bunch of books on my Kindle that I’ve picked out strategically, nonetheless knowing full well that some books on my TBR will be swapped out for airplane movies. Ah, what bliss. If only I could have more moments like this, 30,000ft in the air, my head in the clouds.
But I could. And it doesn’t have to cost a plane ticket. I can create my own meditative retreat, even from the heart of my bustling city.
Take half a day off, a full day if it can be spared. Find a window to sit by–at home, at a cafe, at a museum, at a museum cafe, or just go straight to a park (though perhaps a brutal choice for the winter). Put on some noise cancelling headphones. Play white noise or music. A small plate of snacks or a bag of chips at the ready (salted nuts for the true plane experience, though I usually forgo them for my own snacks anyway; out of luck if you’re in a museum though, unless you’re in the cafe section). A throw over my lap if I’m at home; a scarf draped over my shoulders if I’m out. A book splayed open. And the final touch: my phone on airplane mode (or at least on do not disturb).
We all need some space to ourselves every now and then, and these little moments are the closest we can get to checking out from the world.
How do you like to spend your time on a plane? How do you like to tune out?