“It has to be Southwest.”

“No, definitely an independent flyer.”

“I think it’s Delta.”

This conversation continued on with little variance as we both watched the most intricately engineered aluminum and titanium vessels fly in and out of the sky. Just as a cloud expanded, momentarily hiding the sun’s rays from sight, a distant light appeared and another conjecture popped instantaneously from our mouths, creating a new origin for the aircraft. We sat idle and bantered on, our feet dangling over the edge of an elevated parking lot and the occasional zoom of an airplane whizzing above our heads. I have often dreamt of such a location to sit and watch airplanes dominate the sky, as their presence offers a kind of peaceful reverence. I take joy knowing that the once minuscule “hawks” in the far horizon become these large and important vehicles in the span of seconds.

Whenever an airplane passes by I wonder about the people currently inside of it, and whether they are reading or sleeping or praying to reach their terminal safely. I recall memories of myself during flights, as I am probably enthused to be seated in my compact place of residence. I like to listen to music during these long journeys, as the songs I’ve replayed hundreds of times prior now glint an authentic tone. When seated next to a stranger I quietly observe their choice in film or novel, analyzing their tastes and preferences. On occasion my neighbor and I will be watching the same movie on the same small screen in front of us, and I find it amusing that we could finish that film with two completely different notions that project our unique perspectives. I genuinely love the spur the moment bumps and jolts in the aircraft, waiting for the “fasten your seatbelt” light to flick on, as the flight becomes a kind of amusement park rollercoaster. My favorite time comes when the flight attendants take control of the airplane atmosphere, turning off the aisle lights to commence the night and awaiting the morning to greet weary passengers. Flying is truly an experience unparalleled, and something I always look forward to.

As the airplanes continued to appear and vanish in the sky, I kept my gaze on the flashing red and contemplated the stories of the new sky explorers traveling the remote frontier.