One pea at a time

There's nothing quite like being cramped in a seat on an airplane for nearly seven hours. 31D. On a Boeing 777, that's one seat in from the aisle on the middle row of five. Not much space within which to squirm. No way to get up or out to stretch or go to the bathroom without disturbing the man next to me.

For someone used to the frequent flyer perks of preferred seating -- exit row aisles, if not first class -- it comes to feel as an entitlement. When having to compromise comfort when the airline cannot accommodate, it's easy to become irritated.

Rather than let my feelings go that way, though, I'm trying to maintain humility, retain a positive attitude, and treat this as an opportunity for spiritual development. After all, someone has to sit in the middle. This is a chance to live in the present, to let time pass without willing it to accelerate, to eat one pea at a time from my meal; a time to practice mindfulness, according to Thich Nhat Hanh, the Buddhist author.

It's easier said than done, as I watch the miles and time seem to crawl by.

1425 miles out of Boston, after reading an article about the D-Day invasion 60 years ago, I'm mindful of the Jews who were crammed into rail cars to travel for days without food or water, being sent to their deaths in the concentration camps. A seven hour plane flight leading to a reunion with my family makes me a pretty fortunate guy, in comparison.

As I ponder the various dimensions of this spiritual quest, I just can't understand how the guy next to me -- the one on the aisle -- can drink two Cokes and a cup of coffee and not have to go to the bathroom!