Flying back home to New York was surprisingly enjoyable. As I have written previously a set of values that are clear in one's mind can assist us in staying on course and help us get back on course when we have strayed. I had forgotten to focus on my value number 1 on the first leg of my journey. On the return flight I concentrated on peacefulness....staying peaceful no matter what is happening around me. I also concentrated on value number 2, attentiveness. In my book, attentiveness means being observant, aware, being open and interested in other's and their stories. It means connection through conversation and thus learning about fellow passengers jetting across the country at 35,000 feet above the earth. Unlike the previous flight when I simply sat and felt sorry for myself and got angry, this time I stayed relatively peaceful and attentive. My attentiveness led to a connection with the guy sitting next to me. Through a conversation, I heard his story and he heard mine. I know everyone has a story to tell. I've heard many as a therapist and as a participant in life. Stories teach me about life and they help establish meaningful connections with all kinds of people. They lead me away from being un-interested, close-minded and isolated. In this case it made the flight seem much shorter and certainly more enjoyable. My thanks to that fellow traveler.
I note that I started this post by referring to New York as "home". It does feel like home after living here only 3 months. NYC has the ability to capture one's affection quickly.
Stan the Man
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