Time is Now
Somewhere around the two hour mark before we touch down on English soil. I set my clock to the proper time in England and wonder if in reality I’m still behind in time. Time is a strange thing.
I still feel like we are all kids in high-school, just different. Now we have more stuff, more responsibility, more opportunity and less time. In fact we categorize our time, quality time, daylight time, middle age… I feel like it’s getting near high time to land this plane.
Time to leave, to go, to get moving…
A gentleman who works on the airline just spent some time with me looking at my travel CPAP. Pilot came on over the intercom. We should land in 45 minutes, in 15 minutes the seatbelt sign is coming on, use the bathroom NoW! When your younger ya just thing, “I’ll wait.” Now there is a line, you guest it, it’s the folks in the older category.
30 minutes to go. “Please return to your seats and buckle up.” I move to a window seat. (There is hardly anyone on the plane). The vast expanse of clouds and bright sunlight greet me. We bank descending into the clouds. My imagination cues some Pink Floyd music.
And then the gentle turbulence we’ve all been waiting for, bumpity, bump, bump, bump -like a 4 wheel drive truck through a field at high speed. Turbulence subsides, clouds cover the plane, I’m thankful for radar. Of course I think about radar a lot. I live just off the runway back in Florida and the water and cell tower in our town hasn’t had night lights on them for some time now. I walk my dogs at night and looking up there and hearing planes coming in does my PTSD no good at all.
Now I’m dreading the ear popping. We are descending, I see land. England cold and green. Where did the sun go? Oh yeah, I forgot -English weather. I see a car driving on the wrong side of the road. And now the sharp bank. Good thing we’re all strapped in, and that pit of your stomach sinking feeling that last for just a moment. It’s gone. It’s back. It’s gone again. Did they just hit the brakes?
How many Pilgrimages of the Camino de Santiago started with plane rides? We certainly are in a DIFFERENT times. Farms, birds, a couple people, we are on the runway. Wow! I love a window seat.
Now for customs. I’m switching off Airplane mode. Moving from airplane mode. Moving into get through customs mode. Moving into train and taxi mode. It’s just THAT time.
Seems like it will take SOME time before the “international service” actually works. Checking in. “Sir, just wait here we will do (unintelligible) with your passport and bring it back in 2 to 3 hours. Seems like I’ve got time to Wait.
Time to finish this up. Of course I won’t be able to post it until the service I’m paying for works. Terry’s Verizon service works. Time will tell.
When I was growing up we read a popular sports magazine. Every issue except the colander. Mom always seemed to intercept that part of the subscription. There was always a small article titled “Sign of the Times.” It was good stuff.
No one could have realized just how many signs we would see in these Trying Times. I need this pilgrimage.
I found myself leading a few folks in prayer back in the airport before we flew. I ended the prayer with the Lord’s Prayer. I found myself choking up a bit. I’m an ordained minister. I know God. I know about God. God knows me. I’m supposed to be praying with folks. It was the best time so far.
I hope y’all pray with me during this pilgrimage. Pray with me for our City, State, and Government officials. Pray with me for our neighbors, friends, first responders, for the kids in our communities, for their parents. Pray that we all become a bit more compassionate, a bit kinder, a bit more tender and vulnerable. Pray that we have the courage to act upon the wisdom that we have been given. Pray for Terry and I as we look for a schengen stamp, place to stay, food and a way to Spain. We are all Pilgrims. We are all just passing through. The timing is perfect, time always is until the day when time shall be no more.
