My Veridical View of Palms

It’s Palm Sunday and I will shout HOSANNA! (O be propitious, graciously inclined)

Childhood memories of my Mom’s “before” photo shoot on Palm Sunday in anticipation of the following week’s Easter finery.  A tradition I perpetuated complete with hats, gloves, and white patent leather.  Easter corsages from a doting dad added the final touch of celebration.  I remember the first year my daughters left their corsages in the fridge….it did not deter their dad – he continued until just last year to provide the Easter corsages for all the Holliday women in the house.

This morning I will make palm leaves from green construction paper and tell the Palm Sunday story from Matthew 21:1-11 to group of 21st century kids who will wave those paper palms and shout Hosanna with me.  I knew the Biblical Palm Sunday crowd shouted Hosanna at Jesus, but I had to look up propitious to understand that they were shouting “good success” “be favorable”.

I love palm trees. They bend gracefully in a storm, like the small palm tree I watched double over in a St. Martin hurricane. Palm trees reach higher and higher as they shed their old leaves, like the huge leaf that fell right on top of my head in Palm Springs.  My favorite is the soft, gentle sway of the palms in the breeze of Hanauma Bay in Honolulu, where I captured my veridical (not vertical) view of Jesus in the palm trees.

Veridical: Coinciding with future events or apparently unknowable present realities. 

The original Palm Sunday crowd did not really know why they were shouting HOSANNA!  They saw the donkey, knew that it was a clue to a king, and got caught up in the frenzy of the moment. Jesus had the veridical view of that moment. He knew the future events that would establish Him as King, I imagine His face was somber as he rode the donkey through the shouts of Hosanna.

I took my place in a quiet spot under the palms, to close my eyes and enjoy the shade. Instead I opened my eyes and was mesmerized by the majesty of the palms and the sound of the swaying leaves. I could see the Hawaiian sun and blue sky behind the leaves, but it was the palms that held me captive. It was a moment I had to capture on film so I could remember that feeling……peace beyond understanding.

I have changed my mind – today is Palm Sunday and I will not shout, instead I will quietly declare and share my PEACE IN THE PALMS…..

I see the palms, soft and flowing. I see His face, steady and knowing. I feel my heart, grace-filled and growing.

He knew it all, when He rode through the crowds. HOSANNA! HOSANNA! so loud, so loud.  Not proud, just purposed, so how could He smile…..His only joy was to suffer the trial.

I hear His voice “It is finished” He cried.  Once and for all, I declare it with pride. So today I will cheer “I am glad that He lives!” Waving palms with a peace that can only be His.

Happy Palm Sunday! I am so glad we can wave peaceful palms everyday.

My Peace in the palms

16 years ago I received my second set of wings when I graduated from flight attendant training in Dallas. In 1978 I received my first pair of wings in Miami from astronaut Frank Borman, the President of Eastern airlines at the time.  I returned to flying in 1998 and felt a kindred spirit with astronaut John Glenn who returned to space that same year – we both had to fly again!

Guess there is something about flying that gets in our blood, aviation folks like to say we have “jet fuel in our veins”.  I just love to fly.

I love the speed and the lift of taking off. I love seeing the sunrise from above the clouds. I love flying on 4th of July watching silent fireworks displays. I love the majestic view of the Grand Canyon & Mount St. Helens from the cockpit. I love feeling like a nurse, caring for my sleeping passengers on the red-eye. I love the crew members that feel like family for those hours we spend together from take-off to landing.  I love meeting folks from all over the world and listening to their stories.

The people are the best part of flying.  Celebrity folks are just people. Former Presidents are just people. Olympian Gold Medal winners are just people.  Grammy winners are just people.  I have served them all in my 21 years of flying. I have signatures and photos of the famous folks I admire and respect. The real and treasured memories I have are of fellow crew members who were kind to me and offered support without judgment.

Flight attendants love “jumpseat therapy”! We help each other solve airplane problems and offer free advice on life as we see it. Some of the best focus groups and small groups I have ever seen happen on the airplane with authentic people who share gathered wisdom of life’s experiences.

Flight attendants are a pure and passionate breed.  We are not regular folks. There is a special type of person who loves the fly-life. We love the unique challenges of building a life in the air and on the ground.  I am proud to be a flight attendant. I am proud that I am still flying and hope that my wings never get too tired to soar.