PART ONE

Sometimes it's necessary to go a long distance out-of-the-way in order to come back a short distance correctly. - Jerry (Zoo Story by Edward Albee)

A month ago at the end of October I returned to the scene of a heinous crime that had occurred at the turn of the year - Boston Logan Airport. My last visit thru I had factually, actually, literally, figuratively felt/been imprisoned for 17+ hours on the other side of security in the JetBlue Terminal.



I have travelled my entire life, I feel like I am my best self when I am in a state of movement from one place to another, I am a proud survivor of holiday travel mayhem: circling O'Hare in Chicago during winter storms, Rocky Mountain turbulence, a delay here or there, sitting on the tarmac waiting to be de-iced... but whatever the reason this experience was next level and I had a moment of existential crisis.

Letting go has not ever been my forte. I am an excellent holder-oner-toer. My shoulders are strong from grudges I've carried for decades. My heart heavy with the burdens of the world. My legs sturdy in the winds of change. But truly the circumstances of the day were completely beyond my control and all I could do was be present in each and every passing long second of that wait, I had to surrender completely.

I made it back to Western PA and into my bed just about the time I had woken up the morning before to depart for my 1hr 45min flight from Boston to Pittsburgh. I did not know it then that over the course of 2016 I would be brought to surrender over and over and over again.