By Patty Chang Anker

And then, as abruptly as it began, it is time to leave the rainforest.

Packing, I come across my blackberry, which has been off for the week.  Ever since I read in the book “How Not to Act Old” that only old people wear watches, I stopped wearing a watch.  For a week, I have been trying to not act old while wandering around confused about what time it is.  Seeing it now sends a wave of anxiety through me.

Across the canal is the airstrip, only recently paved.  Shannon, a former flight attendant, pretends to be a pilot beckoning us to board.  We laugh, we make light of the fact that the Trip of a Lifetime is drawing to a close.  I sit next to Yolanda, saying “If this plane goes down I want Yolanda’s to be the last face I see.”

I am joking, but my heart hurts.  We adopted G, our first child, right after the September 11 attacks.  I don’t like flying anywhere without my kids.

The tiny plane is hot and stuffy, like we’re taking the jungle with us.  I take Yolanda’s hand and say a silent prayer.  Then, my usual routine, which involves closing my eyes and trying to forget what’s really happening.  Yolanda squeezes my hand and says “Put feet up!”

I open my eyes.  “What?”  It is noisy.  We’re jetting down the runway.  Yolanda motions toward her feet and raises them off the floor of the plane.  “Lift your feet!”

“Why?”  I ask, confused.

“Feels like flying!”  She smiles.

This entire trip has been about facing fears.  Why stop now?  We hold hands, lift our feet, and fly toward home.



Wishing everyone traveling today a safe journey!

If you are enjoying Patty’s posts and have not done so already, don’t forget to vote for her blog  on Babble.com’s Top Mom Blog List. All you have to do is go to http://www.babble.com/babble-50/mommy-bloggers/nominate-a-blogger scroll down to “Facing Forty Upside Down,” and click on  .

But wait! There’s more…stay tuned for the closing credits.