Fourteen hours into our flight to New Zealand, Shya sat across from me on my foot rest with the fold down table between us. The steward covered the table with white linen and voilà: we had an airborne café.
The journey to this unknown land had been long so far, our plane having been delayed multiple times. But sitting in the airport for eight hours in advance of the flight helped to ensure a restful night once we stretched out.
However, I did have a moment of misgiving. Maybe we shouldn’t have come at all, I thought. Perhaps it was the cancer survivor sitting across from me that spurred this internal debate. Her new hair growth was in a nascent stage, peaking out from her scarf, fuzzing her scalp. Yet here I was, just days after my own breast cancer diagnosis, prior to treatment, on a trip of a lifetime with the love of my life seated across from me.
Shortly before landing I privately raised my glass to the lady sitting across from me, toasting her resilience. I admired what I imagined to be her courage, and that of her husband who sat nearby.
My adventure continues. It is likely there will be days ahead that will be uncomfortable and others that will be ultimately filled with robust health.
With a dose of good fortune, I will be flourishing during this process rather than simply surviving.
We’ll see what the future will bring.
By Ariel Kane — © 1996 – 2026 www.transformationmadeeasy.com. Click to subscribe to our newsletter and blog.
I love it, Ariel, thanks for sharing!