“The beautiful Journey of today can only begin when we learn to let go of yesterday.” —Dr. Steve Maraboli
It was a long haul from to SF to Bangkok with a stopover in Narita Airport in Tokyo, 23 hours in fact including the four hour layover. To me any journey, trip or pilgrimage always begins the moment I step on the plane. You never know who you will meet and what you will experience as you enter the realm of Holiday Consciousness.
We lucked out getting an upgrade to Biz class. Betty, the flight attendant for United Airlines took good care of us.
It turns out she is a student of meditation in the Tibetan tradition. Her husband is a German Translator for the Dalai Lama. She is a Brit who lives with her husband in Switzerland, and does acupuncture on the side. We connected in a meaningful way and had many opportunities to talk. The food was incredibly good as was the wine and dessert. I loved the colors of the kimonos of two Japanese women sharing their tradition with travelers waiting for their next connection, like the Sikh with his precious little boy looking so joyful in a form of dress different than his own.
When we arrived in Bangkok at passed midnight, Cecile and I stayed over night at the Miracle Hotel and Spa at the airport. We are now awaiting a flight to Myanmar (Burma).
While I was writing this post on my laptop, I noticed a monk seated to my left side. Some young Thai men brought him food. They bowed as a gesture of respect. I have witnessed traditional alms giving many times, and even participated in some. But this was the first time I have seen an offering of food at the airport. When the young men walked away, the monk then got on his mobile device as I got off mine. I smiled to myself. Even monks have adapted to the digital age in recent years.
