Fall.

Year Three. Month Eleven. #SEA.

Author's note: I started writing this in early November. I was feeling fatigued, but hopeful for the holidays season. 

And then, everything just seemed to just fall apart.  

A lot has been happening at home and I feel like I sort of drifted away from writing for a while. 

It's mid-December now. We've got eleven days left in this [insert descriptive word of choice] year, and I'm feeling ready for it to be over. But we need to remember that we've got a few days left, a few more chances to find a little hope left in this calendar year and a few more opportunities to shine brightly. 

Hang in there, friends. Things will fall back into place.

One year ago: staring out the window on various trains in various countries.

I'm at my second home right now.

I've got a big cup of coffee, my favorite Netflix show ready to go, a comfy pair of shoes and my phone nearby to text with friends, check my social media or call Tim to chat.

Holiday music is playing through a tinny speaker. The rain patters against the window panes. And the sound of the propeller planes puttering as they prepare to take off completes the peaceful scene.

Oh, did I mention that my second home is the airport?

But it's okay.

That smile can be deceptive. Underneath it all, we flight attendants have our limits

After several weeks of flying everywhere seemingly every day, I hit a wall. Maybe it was the last four-day trip full of short layovers and lots of legs, but I felt something I hadn't felt yet with this job.

I was tired of flying.

Not forever tired of flying, just a little worn down. A little tuckered out from all of the boarding, the deplaning, the pushing of the carts up and down and all around and the time zones and sleepless nights and missing my home and and loved ones and my sleep.

It does happen, ya know. We flight attendants get tired. And we need a break.

Goodbyes are hard. This one was the toughest goodbye of all. </3

So I took a break. I listed my reserve preference as "pass" (instead of 'call me first please I'm dying to work!'). I bid for ten days of work and got it off. I dropped a day. I stayed at home. I slept. I talked to old friends. I said goodbye to my best fur friend. I hugged my loved ones. I shed a few tears. I went home to family.

And I picked up the pieces of myself that felt like they had fallen apart.

I watched the leaves turn colors and drift off of the trees, preparing themselves for a time of renewal. I myself finally rested, readying myself for a whirlwind of upcoming snow and ice and holiday travel.

Treat yo' self. Especially on #ANC all-nighters. ;)

If you feel like you're falling apart, give yourself a moment.

It's going to be okay.

I'm headed back to the airport in a little while. I've got my suitcase packed with all the comforts of home and I'm ready for wherever and whatever the universe sends me. This month has already brought me brunch in Brooklyn, a snowy sunset in Salt Lake City, an Anchorage all-nighter, sightseeing in D.C., barbecue in Kansas City and Acai smoothie bowls in San Fran, and I know that the next eleven days will bring even more adventures.

So even when you feel like falling down, remember to look for the bright moments in the midst of darkness. You've got your wings, now use them.

With co-workers like these, it's easy to find joy in the everyday moments. #iamalaska <3

Happy flying!