We had just gotten back from a chemo-pump-disconnect appointment at the infusion clinic when my husband got a text telling him our flight the next morning was canceled. My diagnosis makes each trip to visit our son’s family poignant and pressing. It’s not only wondering “Will I feel good enough to travel?” but also “Will this be the last time I get to see the kids in person?” [If that seems overly dramatic, no more so than three missed calls from the oncologist after seeing him just the day before. When we connected, he told me the tumor marker, which had been substantially elevated after chemo #1 was significantly higher after chemo #2. This is not the trend he was expecting and may indicate the tumor is less impressed with chemo than other body parts.]

Miracle one was finding seats on a direct flight from Reagan National Airport to Tampa. The new arrival time even worked so our friend, Susan, was able to pick us up at the airport.

Maybe this shouldn’t be, but lately, it seems like a miracle when people act with civility. No unruly passenger caused a mid-air ruckus. Airplanes have always seemed like pressurized cocktail blenders with occupants “shaken not stirred,” but these days some passengers seem like lithium batteries, susceptible to in-flight explosions, resulting in flight attendants managing cabin turmoil while the pilots handle weather turbulence. Our 6 AM departure probably contributed to the “all is calm” atmosphere – most passengers seemed to be snoozing, gathering strength for raging for a later time, on a different flight, or around the dinner table.

Once we reached Palm Harbor, pleasures were bountiful: watching the grandkids open gifts, sharing meals, seeing the holiday light display at the Largo library, going to the beach, and playing croquet. The commercialization of Christmas may be tiresome but the reason for the season – cultivating connections – is priceless. Our visit overflowed with delight, fun, and joy.

Some people tend to pick and choose the miracles that they are willing to accept. I believe that vaccine development has been a global miracle, not uniformly appreciated.

And, we got home as scheduled. While that’s usually our hope and expectation, it’s never guaranteed, especially given ongoing flight cancelations due to skyrocketing COVID cases and weather volatility.

Looking forward to whatever miracles today has in store and those that await in 2022.

© Joan S Grey, 31 DEC 2021 ∞
IndexCardCure™: seeing life as sacrament…
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