My pot of TWG tea at the airline lounge
…Sometimes you wanna go
Where everybody knows your name
And they’re always glad you came
You wanna be where you can see
Our troubles are all the same
You wanna be where everybody knows your name
(Theme from the 1980s American TV sitcom Cheers)
Very early into my flight by Malaysia Airlines from London to Kuala Lumpur I had a thought: if the cabin crew were given a Dollar / Pound / Euro for every time they approached a passenger by name, they would be in receipt of a very tidy sum indeed.
Admittedly I was ensconced in Business Class, nevertheless I had never received so many personal mentions when flying the same class with British Airways.
I decided to skip BA for this trip, as the layover in Singapore (there are currently no direct flights to KL) is often fraught with difficulties. I simply did not want to worry about delayed luggage and running for my connecting flight at Changi Airport. However, flying out of Heathrow Terminal 5 is a much better experience as it is the home of BA.
Foodwise, Malaysia Airlines’ catering was very good (again, compared to BA’s). Here are a few photos of what I ate on board my flight. There were other things to eat (noodles in soup, ice cream, cheese platter) in between the main meals but I resisted.
Dinner
Breakfast
Looking out from my window seat
The world around me is in a constant state of upheaval. Part of my strategy for staying grounded, and for taking on life’s challenges, is to place a steady and reliable core infrastructure around me. In KL I stick to the same serviced apartment, supermarkets, nail salon, restaurants, bakeries etc. This way I save all my energy and brain power to help my elderly mother who has her own daily challenges.
In most of these places many of the staff know my name (even my fake name e.g. when buying coffee). It is very comforting, but ultimately what I want to say is that there is only one person who really needs to know my name. As a Christian, I find ultimate reassurance that Jesus knows who I am. This is promised in the Bible (John 10:1-18) when Jesus, referring to himself as the Good Shepherd, promises to lead and to look after us his sheep: The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
Looking after an elderly parent is often a lonely and scary experience. There is a tendency for many people to pitch in with advice out of kindness or concern. But each family’s circumstances is different to another family’s. Listening to the voice of Jesus is for me possibly the best survival tactic in this ever-changing landscape.