Happy Flying (Part Three).

Year Two. Month Twelve. #AUS

I realized something the other day.

Happiness is tough work.

Happiness takes strength.

Happiness means letting others help you.

Happiness isn't a constant state. Let it come and go, and trust that happy will come back to you. Don't despair when it's gone, explore the in-between. Embrace the worry, the anxiety, the hard times. It's all part of this crazy roller coaster ride we call life.

(If there were no "ups" or "downs" it would be a pretty boring journey).

A day ago I was cruising down the freeway listening to a familiar tune, happily singing along.

Here come bad news talking this and that, yeah,
Well, give me all you got, and don't hold it back, yeah,
Well, I should probably warn you I'll be just fine, yeah,
No offense to you, don't waste your time 

Two years ago I was listening to the same song, but I wasn't happy. I was sobbing in my car. My roommate situation wasn't great. I had been basically unemployed for three months. I had no money. I was supposed to fly to Salt Lake City in two days to attend training for a flight attendant job, but I was terrified. Terrified of failure, terrified of change.

And I had just received a phone call about my Grandma. She didn't have much time left. And I had to leave town, and I wasn't ever going to see her again.

I broke down. I didn't know how to handle it. I didn't know how to put on my heels and my lipstick and smile like everything was fine. I almost decided to quit my (day) dream of being a flight attendant.

Forever.

I got to Salt Lake City two days later and made it through my first day. The first evening, when I was first meeting what turned into some of the most amazing friends, I admitted to them that I was in a tough spot. I let down the smile and let out a tear.

And guess what. It was good. It was good for others to hear, it was good for me to share the "downs" as well as the "ups" of life.

Life did go "up" again. I got to see my Grandma one last time, after all. I made it through my first year of being a flight attendant. I survived all the uncertainty, the bursts of "what-am-I-doing-with-my-life" and living in a state of perpetual aviation-induced poverty.

Two years have passed since that moment. Two years of happiness, chaos, hilarity, sadness, love, life and friendship. Two years since I left the stability of life on land and decided to soar.

Thanks for joining me on this crazy journey, friends.

Happy flying!