3-09: Bollinger Bands of Gratitude
An Apparatus of Earned Comfort
Alas, it shouldn’t take a few glasses of Bollinger La Grande Année to feel as grateful as I do right now, but here I am. An unusual set of circumstances led me here today, from accepting a ‘hey, what would you think of an interview for a position as my junior,’ proceeding to work for the aforementioned friend for four years, then replacing him in his then-senior role. He has since remained a great friend.
As I watch the plane fill up, about ten boy scouts in uniform walk past me. Seeing them march by makes me keenly aware of how grateful I am for where I’m sitting. I’m half tempted to tap one on the shoulder and tell him to switch seats with me, for the larger net effect of him telling his friends, “You won’t believe what happened to me” than me experiencing this first-class seat for myself, where none other than my immediate family know of my seat and rightfully couldn’t care less.
This seat is not quite making a difference to me as opposed to the back of the plane, though I cannot say for certain that I would have the physical space, energy, or patience to write this if I were in something like 29F. At least for these few hours, this seat is mine. The golden rays of the afternoon sun hit just enough of my notebook to pique my attention and draw me in to continue spilling my mind.
Regardless of the quantity or quality of champagne, it should, in fact, not take so much as a single bubble to feel grateful. Reflecting on the experience, what I believe it should take is a little airplane mode combined with a clear mind. While quality bubbles tend to lend themselves to a clear mind, so does a quiet walk in nature, which I will be doing the moment I get back home.
I’m realizing that, all along, I am grateful for so much, yet it is only in certain circumstances when my gratitude is fully revealed to me. What is your quiet walk in nature, whether a specific route, a specific place, a state of mind, or a set of company? For me, I have just the route in mind, along the bay, that will have me reaching for the upper band of gratitude yet again.