Day Nineteen –
Sometimes the beauty of the day is found in being stirred out of your sleep by the hum of a twin engine airplane flying gracefully over your house. That may seem a little odd but let me give you the backstory.
A few years ago, everything in my world was turned upside down when I battled Bell’s Palsy. It came on suddenly following a severe bout with food poisoning and it was oh so very unpleasant. It was painful, my appearance was altered by the paralysis on my left side, my left eye wouldn’t close so I wore a patch like a pirate and it took an enormous amount of work to heal. During that same time, I was walking through work changes, a possible move from our long- time home and a busy schedule with three kids (two of which were teenagers).
As I was working through those struggles I would sleep a little later than normal trying to get some much-needed rest for healing. I started noticing that every Monday and Friday mornings, the sound of a twin engine airplane, flying over my house, would stir me out of my sleep at 7:30 a.m. SHARP. The sun would stream in the window, I could see the wispy clouds as I struggled to open my eyes and I could hear that airplane flying over. On Monday, it would fly from north to south and on Friday from south to north and every time it did, a smile would spread across my face. I was fully convinced that God had ordained that plane to fly over my house for this particular season!
With all of the other chaos that was taking place in my world in that season, it became incredibly comforting that I could count on that plane to fly over my house at the exact same time two days a week. The fact that it was at the beginning of the week and at the end of the week seemed even more comforting as it signaled another week of progress in my healing. Add in that it was north to south and south to north let me know that once again, whoever was flying that route had completed a successful week as well.
It’s funny what brings us comfort. Sometimes it’s a visit with an old friend, sometimes it’s cuddling on the couch with kids or maybe it’s a walk on the beach or in the park. I think often it just depends on what season we are walking through and that determines what brings us comfort. I’m not a routine oriented person and I fight structure at every turn but in that season, when life was uncertain and chaotic, the routine that came with that airplane flying over my house brought me peace. What’s funny is that the person in that airplane had no idea the comfort that he was bringing to some crazy lady struggling in a house below his flight pattern.
This morning, at 8:00 a.m., a twin-engine airplane flew over my house. The hum of the engine, the sun streaming in the windows and the wispy clouds took me back to that place just a few years ago and I couldn’t help but smile.
What is it that brings you comfort when life is a little more trying than you would like? Do you crave structure and routine or do you find comfort in letting the schedule go and just focusing on making it through the season? As you go about your day, think about what helps you the most and remember to take time for that or just take time to notice the little things that bring you joy.
joyinyourjourney.net 