Don't You Be My Neighbor!

Hello friends and family. I write to you from the warmth of my own bed in my own apartment in the city I call home. After a more than full nights sleep (8pm to 6am -- how does that even work?) I am feeling rather vivacious, yet it was not too long ago I was participating in a horrible ordeal: the 24 hour flight home.

I have heard first-hand the horror stories of spending long flights cramped between large men who spread their body mass over the armrest. However, I would like to present for consideration a seatmate who may even be worse than the Large Man and that is the Busybody. Yes, friends, the Busybody is a neighbor who is well skilled in traveling, who knows all the tricks, and is aware that it is their duty to educate all the ignorant masses how to travel. She showed me where to plug in my headphones, how to use a touchscreen, how to put my seat back, to put my tray table down when they were serving food. She graciously shoved me awake for a breakfast I was trying to sleep through, but my favorite interaction came as we were waiting to take-off (we were delayed by an hour). I was a little hungry so I started snacking on some candy corn and I heard a voice, "Don't eat too much. Don't eat too much." I was terrified (I thought she was asleep) as she continued to explain that they were going to serve food as soon as we took off and I didn't need to eat too much (especially not that stuff) because lunch would be soon.

The rebellious side of me grabbed a couple of more pieces of candy corn before shoving it back in my bag and leaving my seat back and tray table up until I wanted to use them. The independent side of me wanted to snap that I had obviously made it to Hong Kong, I could make it back again just fine. However, I knew that God calls us to love our neighbor so I spent a large part of the flight talking myself out of my irritation. I'm not sure I was lovely, but God helped me to not be rude. From outside the middle seat, the situation is now funny although still a bit unbelievable. I am no worse for the experience but there are still some neighbors I would rather observe rather than encounter!