30,000 Foot View of Life

A 30-Thousand Foot View of Life BY LALITA CHEMELLO

Hello again readers.

Here it is again, the arrival of the holiday season, yet another one in the time of the pandemic. I hope by the time you read this, things are on the up-and-up, but vaccines for kids 5-11 were just approved, and COVID-19 cases just continue rising. You could say I’ve already lost a bit of hope for this round of celebrations.

Really, this year I’m not so much worried about the holiday gatherings anymore. I don’t know about you, but the last couple of years missing out on family gatherings, celebrations, not even having my family at my wedding this September, has opened my eyes on the enormous energy we place on these few particular days in the midst of days growing shorter and colder. As I learned from a previous job, people are still working on those days. The world continues to turn. People still die or struggle. Things still happen.

Okay, I may have grown a bit cynical, but I think nearly two years of having to remain close to home has made me more uninspired than anything, while also giving me time and insight to realign my values a little more.

Ironically, I’m writing this nearly 30-thousand feet in the air as I travel for my new job to California for a few days. I can tell my wanderlustian cravings have been neglected for some time as I stare out the window with the same starry-eyed look of a child seeing something new for the first time. Looking over the Rockies, the beautiful clouds beneath, it’s magical. The fact we’re currently traveling at near 500 mph is insane to think about too.

This trip has been a back and forth of guilt and questioning, as I grasped what was happening pandemic-wise, and considered all the protocols in place for safe travels leaving the state by air. I chose to go, knowing to take every precaution I needed to. I also considered that my day job co-workers had been traveling frequently and overseas, and it appears none have had a coronavirus run-in, yet.

For my first flight today, the gentleman sitting beside me told me a little bit about his travels. He was the one lucky guy getting a connecting flight to Amsterdam of which the flight attendant was envious of. I asked him why he was traveling there. He revealed he was an emptynester and had lost a lot of people, especially family in the last two years to coronavirus. He said 20-30. 20. TO. 30. Looking at everything he lost, he thought it was time to go out and live. He started a non-profit, and started traveling the world, including a recent trip to the Serengeti. Myself, I’ve lost over 20 people (I honestly have lost count) in the last eight years, and have been fortunate to only know two people who have lost their lives to coronavirus, one of them my great aunt who had been fully vaccinated. But all to coronavirus? It really puts a perspective on things. This now worldtraveler put a perspective on things. Yes, we are in the midst of the pandemic. Yes, there are things we need to do to keep ourselves and our families safe, but there IS a way to do this life, with restrictions, and still experience it. In the last few weeks I’ve learned to make sure I’m doing what I can to keep myself safe and extracting myself and family out of situations that may be contradicting We should remember or outright dangerous. I will that all we get is this life. add, some of these airports may be Maybe venture out a little. one of the safest And choose your adventure, places to be right now. Everyone just a little more carefully.” has to be masked. Sure, there are people (like at the Los Angeles International Airport…wow), but I think I have been to stores with more people that were a mixed bag of masked/un-masked and questionable vaccination status. I digress. What I’m really getting at here is that yet again, things are still fuzzy as the pandemic continues. But we also should remember that all we get is this life. I’m not saying abandon all and just go big into the holiday gatherings, but observe with caution. Maybe venture out a little. And choose your adventure, just a little more carefully. I forgot how beautiful the world is when I leave the house. No wonder this has been such a refreshing, albeit nerve-wracking adventure. Cheers to you this holiday season, and see you in a hopefully even more promising 2022.

Lalita Chemello

Lalita is our Editor, Writer and occasional photog. Her 13 years of writing has landed features with Panorama, published poetry and even a short film. She spends any extra time she can quenching her wanderlustian needs by finding new places to adventure with her other half, writing, or playing with their motorized toys.