First Flight and Fresh Perspectives

I'm packing bags for my kids' first flight tomorrow. I should be bouncing off the walls with excitement, but I'm not celebrating as much as I ought to.

Didn't hit the skies myself until 21 - work trip, naturally. Every flight since? Solo business jaunts. This family vacation is breaking new ground. I'm excited, sure, but I can't seem to sit with the feeling. Acknowledge it's cool, then my brain's off racing to the next adventure.

Caught myself doing it all day. Telling strangers, coworkers, and neighbors about the trip. Mention it's the kids' first time flying, then zoom straight to babbling about future plans. Bizarre, right? Rarely pause to enjoy the win, always sprinting to the next game. But I'm resolute to soak in this moment. I hope it's just the start of many family trips, but I'm determined to be fully present for this one.

Switching gears - scrolling Substack today, reading brilliant stuff from all sorts of writers, when a thought smacked me upside the head.

For the last 10 years, all the knowledge I've focused on gathering has been in the main pursuit of my 9-5. I do enjoy my career, but for the last 15 days, I've spent a lot of time learning and reading things that are removed from it, and it's done my mind a proper service.

Now, I'm eyeing this humanities reading program. Why? It beats me. But this daily creation streak has woken up that part of me that used to learn just for fun, not for a fatter paycheck.

Learning's just cool, full stop.

If I pass anything to my kids, I hope it's this: keep exploring the bazillion thoughts humans have cooked up. It's the best.

Time to finish packing.

Until Tomorrow

John D