Dances With Words: My Wishes for Holiday Fliers

Nick Wolochatiuk ~ Dances With Words
Dances With Words: My Wishes for Holiday Fliers
CHECK THE WINDSOCK! – Steady headwinds for take-off and landings are ideal, but a dog’s breakfast of gusty crosswinds are a dangerous foe. A steady jetstream of a tailwind is an ideal companion for en route travels. (Illustration by Nick Wolochatiuk)

The Irish blessing is as follows: “May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind always be at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, and rains fall soft upon your fields. Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.”

From my perspective as an airline passenger, here’s my rendition of that wish for good fortunes in travels.
May the four-lane road to the airport be free of tie-ups, back-ups, rear-enders and detours. During your leisurely drive, may the sunrise be at your back, not glaring in your face.

At the airport terminal: May the vast field of the parking lot have a vacant spot for your car right at the entrance to the terminal. May both the pixel board and the loudspeaker announce that your flight is to depart on time.

Upon boarding the plane, may you discover that there’s a bulkhead in front of your seat, giving you generous legroom. May the passenger seated beside you be a tiny little old lady who sleeps throughout the flight, not a restless sumo wrestler. May the three-year old in the seat behind you be thoroughly engrossed by the colouring book in his lap. May the in-flight movie be one of your all-time favourites, not a documentary about the two Boeing 747s that collided at Tenerife.

May your take-off on runway 36 have a steady 50 kph north wind to shorten your take-off run. Throughout the entire 30,000’ asl eastward flight, may a 75 kph jetstream speed you to your destination.

May your landing on the 11,000’ long runway 36 use up only 3,000’, because a steady 50 kph north wind eliminate the need for thrust reversers and tires smoking from hard braking.

May your brilliant orange suitcase be the first item to emerge from the luggage carousel, ahead of all the black ones. May it ease onto the conveyor belt and pause at your beckoning hand. May some handsome Olympic athlete offer to retrieve it for you and place it onto a cart.

May your best friend standing at the arrivals gate be waving a boldly-lettered sign with your nickname on it.

For the rest of your travels, may joy and peace surround you, may refreshing experiences be added to your bank of fond memories and contentment latch the door of your comfortable accommodations. May happiness be with you now and bless you ever more.

Those are my wishes for you, my fellow airline traveler.

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