lovelight holistic health clinic
healing ways - a series of healing stories

The Benefits of Delay

“I knew this happened with Kiwi; if I’d known it happened with Freedom I wouldn’t have bothered.”

We had been disembarked from our 737 for only 30 minutes when a woman made the above comment. After a 4.30am start, 5am check in, duty-free shopping, boarding and disembarking, we had ended here, a transit lounge in no-man’s land, gazing at our disabled aircraft looking like a beached whale in the sun.

“We apologise for the delay. We will let you know what is happening in an hour.”

This announcement, made by three different announcers in as many minutes, brought no joy, only derision from the already impatient would-be passengers. Queues formed for the free refreshments (morning tea at 8am?).

Staff circulate, attempting to spread cheer amongst the desultory people, exchanging repartee, deflecting aggression. Smokers have panic attacks in this no-smoking area to which we are confined. Two hours from check-in to boarding, 30 minutes on the plane, the prospect of another five hours before the required part arrives from Christchurch, an hour to fit and re-embark, three hours flight time, another 30 minutes to clear customs - a total of 12 hours without a puff. How disastrous; how healthy!

During the second half-hour many people start to talk to strangers, their normal reserve broken down by the shared experience. The inevitability of the situation becomes more accepted, and therefore more bearable. The resilience of humans; the amazing ability of the mind to repress negativity and, at least outwardly, act positively, making the best of an undesirable situation. Complete strangers share wisdom gained from their life experiences. It must be like this during a war, only the timeframe is more compressed in this situation.

The aircraft waits; the only signs of life are the exhaust from the auxiliary motor and the occasional movement of the rudder. I play ‘Isn’t it awful’ with a passenger lamenting the incursion of computers into children’s lives at the expense of outdoor play.

The announcement that the re-boarding call will be made in about ten minutes after only a one hour wait is greeted with increased animation and a scurrying to the toilets by the passengers, few of whom now show any signs of stress.

Re-boarding is accomplished quickly and efficiently, passengers relieved, relaxed and friendlier than when they left the plane. Instead of the normal pregnant silence after boarding, the aircraft is filled with animated chatter amongst new friends.

Why does it take a stressful situation to bring out the best in people and provide the time we need to treat strangers as friends we are waiting to meet? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could do this more often, like … today!

Slowing down to really feel life and experience all its nuances gives us time to gain wisdom instead of simply accumulating experiences; to smell the roses instead of suffering from the thorns.

Time is a device that we have created so that we can understand the past, present and future in sequence rather than all at once. We can only live in the present, the Now that we construct for ourselves each moment of each day. Sure, we can learn from the past, but be careful what lessons you take on board. And of course you can plan and anticipate the future. But live in the present.

The ability to still the mind, to stop that chattering parrot on your shoulder with all its “shoulds” and “if onlys” and “I’ll be happy whens”, is a great gift which can easily be learned when you know who you really are.

The Journey allows you to find out who you really are and what your life’s purpose is in this lifetime. Once you know that, then you can live your life in an endless ocean of peace, love, joy and gratitude from which place the inconvenience of a flight delay is insignificant. To experience these benefits, give me a call to go on your Journey. If you are too far distant from Tauranga, visit the Journey website and contact your nearest recommended practitioner.

Find me on the Journey Practitioner Directory
PO Box 296, Tauranga, New Zealand * Tel (07) 544 3087 * Mob (0274) 809 816 *
© 2006 - Lovelight Holistic Health