This is Jet Life— Confessions of a flight attendant.
Note: I wrote this months ago, but added some in at time of publishing. Hope you enjoy!
I’m tired. In a good way.
Crudité and cheese platters.
Mint, half-and-half, orange juice.
“Whaaaaaaaaat?!? I exclaim with overabundant enthusiasm. “You have giiiiiinger soda?!? Like, for REAL???” The blonde server, in this underrated mid-western city, eyes me with suspicion. No one should show this much exuberance over a soda pop that simply carries a little zing to it. The last thing she believes is that I need more zing in my life. Still, the girl remains unfazed with the energy I’ve launched in her direction while my pilots stare at me from across the table; offering up the appropriate amount of chuckle. In a much more of an appropriate level of calm, the server politely responds, “Yep. Soooo, you want the ginger soda?”
It’s just ginger soda and this is just Cincinnati, but I am genuinely thrilled. My pilot tells me I’m going to give him diabetes with all the sweetness and unicorn bubbles I’ve unpacked since the trip began. Well, Thanks, friend:)
I honestly can’t tell you how I’ve kept this level going. I’ve been flying a lot— too much, in fact.
Ginger soda isn’t that big of a big deal and neither is Cincy, but what is unreal and what I truly can’t get over, is that I am here…
For work. On a private jet.
It’s a job I enjoy.
A job that challenges.
A job that rewards.
A job that makes me grow and work and cry and stretch and practically throw up with nerves.
How incredible to live SO ALIVE!
Over and over again I have been politely slapped in the face by the way my risks have been rewarded. That all of the gambles I took and cards that I played came back in more incredible ways that I could have imagined. I tell people I’m lucky and they say, “Yeah, but you worked for it.” I cried for it. I breathed for it. I prayed for it. I hoped for it. And when you do all those things— live so fully for something– you become overwhelmed and feel a bit unworthy that it actually happened for you. I can’t take all the credit. I feel very taken care of by Something bigger than myself. That maybe, all the promises of wildest dreams and abundant life are NOT actually an old school bible fairytale or a way for Tony Robbins to make billions. There is something about the way that you think and dream and work that will change your life. That will give you the jet life you dream of living. You better believe I will be fucking stoked over experiences as simple as ginger soda.
Life actually ends up being as interesting or as mundane as you choose to make it. Yes— grocery shopping isn’t exciting, but the person at the register may have the most engaging story. Generally, the Dentist is not fun, but maybe you’ll hear that word of encouragement that you’ve been searching for all day. Maybe you can offer that smile that changes someone else’s life.
I didn’t even want this trip, and yet, I am so happy and grateful to be here— to be living ‘jet life.’ I could roll my eyes over the fact that Cincy is the least glamorous destination I have had in over the last few months.
Puerto Vallarta.
Somewhere I don’t remember.
Tahiti.
Galápagos.
Rome.
Montreal.
New York City
Nice
Paris
London
Don’t remember.
Like, GET OUT OF TOWN! This is your life?! (Yes. Gotcha. That’s what I do;)
But finally, I’m home for I don’t know how long or I don’t know when. I’m on standby, but the structure is different. Being home is such a beautiful blessing. I needed an interruption to the non-stop pace of the last six months and although I don’t know if I will really have one, I had last week to play at the beach, to kitesurf with a crush, to have a “summer”— all while being paid. What a beauty being on-call can be.
My motivation to do this job is not just the cities or the money, but I am pushed by the way I grow. With every trip. By every mistake. Upon every success. This job is hard for me. I feel like I’m making mistakes more often than not, but someone I really admire was heard saying once, “If you don’t make mistakes, you aren’t trying.” I’m challenged and scared out of my mind half the time. I’m tired and uncertain about my future, and yet I carry-on.
I work anyway.
I work at gratefulness anyway.
I am excited anyway.
I never knew being a corporate flight attendant would force me to grow in the way that it has.
I am over the top, out of this world, way too excited about all these little things. Be it Cincinnati or Tahiti— I’m living one gigantic miracle built out of every tear, every rejection, every broken dream; pieced together to create a reality that I am honored to direct and enjoy.
I am so blessed.
It’s hard work.
It’s scary as hell.
I don’t know what’s next, but I know now.
And now, I have the opportunity to be extremely excited about soda-pop (of all things). Because the little things are big things. If you want jet life— if you want to live your dreams like I am creating mine, it will be the small choices that define your destination. Choose wisely.
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