Friday, October 26, 2007

Uncertainty and, well what else is there, but Love?

Inspiration for a blog comes from the oddest places - I honestly believe that fanny packs should be a requirement for rookie travellers - if they don't have at least mid-level participation in three different airlines, then you must where a bright hunters orange fanny pack with all of the following in it:

1. The $98.40 of pocket change you managed to empty out of your car, that bowl on the kitchen counter, your children's piggybank, and the change from the extra large cup of coffee you bought without the knowledge that you would either have to scald your tongue to finish it before security, or sit in front of security and enjoy that $9.00 treat.

2. The fourteen packs of gum that you purchased just in case there were people on the plane who take offense to the Indian Cuisine that you ate before you came in. Trust me, the gum is not going to help - try a shower - the curry sweats out of you like an earthen dam failure.

3. The pager and cellphone you carry. Who uses pagers anymore anyway? If you have a pager, throw it away - you can get a cell phone, that will, believe it or not, PAGE YOU. Note for TSA security agents - Pagers are an ancient device that humans used to get in touch with one another. Several months ago these were replaced by a new technology that we like to call CELLULAR telephones.

4. The 8 cigarette lighters that you have rounded up - believe me, if you can find a place to smoke you will find fire.

5. The 9 bottles of "personal items" that you hold near and dear to your heart. Although ass cream, face cream, cologne, another cologne, four shades of eyeliner, toothpaste, deodorant, a tube of goof off, and the omnipresent hair gel/spray/wax/mousse/quaffing potion are important parts of good hygiene, they really are not that important for flying. Another nifty invention that they have come up with is called the "hotel store" or even more recent "the drug store". New travellers would be absolutely amazed at the things that you can find at these amusement park like pieces of heaven.

6. Finally, animals. Yes, rookie travellers should be required to shove their cute, furry, smelly, whiny little alligator food replacements for dogs into their fanny packs. That way, they can enjoy the feeling of having a moving animal on THEIR lap, instead of shoving them underneath my seat so that I get to enjoy the smell of dog piss the entire flight.

What's really sad about this - and what do these things have to do with uncertainty - spend some time in an airport - and you can be certain that you will see these things. Spend some time on an airplane with this person, and you will be uncertain about ever flying again....

This was actually supposed to be a more serious post - about those two things - uncertainty and love - and I had better change gears before I lose every one.

We throw the word love around these days like a pit bull in Michael Vick's backyard - we have denigrated, belittled, and let love become almost the all purpose adjective. I am certain about very few things in life - but the one that I am most certain about is love.

We use love to describe the food we eat, the games we play, the cars we drive, the hobbies we have, and the list goes on. Love is an emotion that should be reserved for those people and things that you really do love - and what is love? Well, that's where the uncertainty comes into play - anytime you are wondering how someone is feeling about you, or how someone is feeling - anytime you pour yourself into something and emotionally, physically, and mentally connect at the purest level - anytime you smile when you see their face, and anytime you know that they are feeling pain and you share their pain and try to lift it to joy - then you know that you may feel love. Uncertainty is the fact that love has no explicit rewards because it is unconditional - love should not only make you feel a sense of accomplishment, but it should also make you feel a sense of being a part of something bigger - whatever that may be. Love is an easy emotion to share - and an uncertain one to feel. Maybe that is why I called this Love and Uncertainty.

A little story - my son is sick, and has been sick for the past three weeks. He is a beautiful boy - a mirror image of generations of families that my wife and I contributed to his gene pool. We don't know what is wrong with him, although he has been through every blood test, xray, poke, and prod that any nine year old should feel. He has taken more antibiotics, Tylenol, Motrin, and other foul tasting liquid that you should feed into a nine year old. We are uncertain what is wrong - and that fact that we love him more than we love ourselves at times, makes that uncertainty difficult - but I can assure you - love grows deeper with the unknown - it is that uncertainty that makes 92% travel difficult - when you want to hold your son, tell him that he is a tough boy, and that you love him.

Until the next post, I appreciate your company -

G

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