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The Long Road Home

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The author's planned short stopover in New York turned into an "epic journey" when their airplane was grounded near ground zero after 9/11, exacerbated by mechanical failures and new flight restrictions.
  • Assisted by a friend, the difficult return flight westward was continually plagued by unusually severe and unforecast weather, including persistent thunderstorms and tornadoes, causing significant delays in multiple states.
  • After more than three months and 30 flight hours, the author and their plane finally reached home, reflecting on the endurance required to navigate life's unexpected storms and the renewed appreciation for the world's beauty.
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||| |—|—| | | | It seemed such an innocuous decision at the time. Life had gotten a bit much, I was behind schedule, the late August weather patterns looked bad, and I needed to get home to California for some meetings. “Well,” I thought. “I’ll just leave the airplane in New York for now and come back and get it in a couple of weeks. Life will be calmer, the weather will be better, and the trip will be much more relaxed.”

Talk about famous last words.

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