Grumpy at 35,000 feet

Den Haag, The Netherlands — Not very long ago, Pinoys who were about to fly off to some foreign land for work or leisure almost always break into song and top of the charts would be John Denver’s “Leaving on a Jet plane”. Unfortunately the ritual song is now rarely sang, partly because the singer with the eternal sunshine plastered on his smile made the fatal mistake of dying in a plane crash which also contributed to taking out his song as the frequent flyers national anthem.

Then again, air travel is no longer a big thing. What used to be a special treat, a big deal or even a privilege only the rich could afford has now turned into a mass market business void of special touches and somehow lacking in passion or excellence.

Ten or 15 years ago if travelers talked about being cramped or lacking in leg space it was often relative to the opulence or luxury of First class or Business class. Back then space was about comfort. But with millions travelling world-wide each day, the word space is no longer about comfort but about getting a seat on a particular flight. Back then you were smart if you managed to get row 31 or that row of seats by the emergency exit. It was the economy class version of luxury. Nowadays, you have to pay 50 euros extra or the equivalent of a ticket to Boracay just to have leg room in “sardines” class!

For those of you who haven’t been on a long haul in quite a while, don’t go into shock if the seats on the plane somehow remind you of your favorite FX commuter seat. Actually the seats on my wife’s Toyota Revo were better than those on the plane.

And if like me you regularly mocked the “factory fresh” cookies, crackers and Mamon that Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific give out on provincial flights well repent of your evil ways! They actually served beef noodle in a cup (made in the Philippines) on our KLM flight to Amsterdam. Next time say grace when the PAL stewardess gives you a choco wafer or Mamon for a one hour flight. All we got on the 12 hour flight were 2 meals. Only my pride kept me from begging for one extra “cup of noodles”.

Since my wife Karen now packs snacks for our daughter Hannah, I will now re-introduce “ECO Dining in the sky”…. bring your own baon! You will thank me for it.

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While meditating on the dilapidated plane seat torturing my butt and my back, I entered into a semi trance that only GOD could orchestrate. As easy as it would be to list down a list of criticisms, It was also just as easy a task to be thankful to actually be on the flight and on my way to join my family who had gone ahead. Even if the vacation would be a very short one, we would be altogether and not being torn apart like the many OFWs on the flight whose eyes were still red from all the crying at the airport.

Life and its many circumstance can teach us valuable lesson if we simply sit still. At that moment the lesson came in the form of a question: Would I dishonor the blessing and the privilege GOD gives to go on this journey with the two people I love most by giving time and thought to inconvenience? I chose not to.

It was also then that I thought of Erap Estrada and the pickle he finds himself in. Members of the opposition were busy pressuring him to go against President Arroyo and publicly support her impeachment. I really have no idea what direction Erap took but perhaps he should also ask the same question to himself.

We should not always limit our vision only to what our eyes can see. In same manner we should not always assume that the author or the giver of things that come to us are those in the flesh. Sometimes this in itself is a test from God.

If you haven’t yet watched Evan Almighty go get the DVD. In one scene “GOD” asks the questions: If people pray for patience does God give you patience or does he give you an opportunity to lean patience? If people pray for courage does God give courage or a chance to be courageous? And when you pray for your family to become close, does he bring them together or create an opportunity to be close?”

Sometimes in our ignorance or arrogance, we expect to get what we prayed for as is and door to door from GOD. But God uses people to test our heart as well as to bless us, even through our “enemies”. Isn’t it possible that GOD answered Erap’s prayers along with those who truly love him. But GOD needed to make Erap decide for himself if Freedom was more valuable than pain and pride? The only way to decide this with certainty was to offer it from the hand of his “enemy” who ironically was a “woman”.

Erap certainly made the right and godly decision. Now the “false prophets” around him are pumping him up or challenging his macho nature to turn against the woman, the illegitimate president.

Good or bad Joseph Estrada the man has always kept his word. This is where his true honor resides.

Will he now dishonor himself by dishonoring another? Will he now dishonor God for the honor of men?

Once again he will have to make the choice alone and like the past pay the price…Alone.