About flying, and regrets
I am in Nantes Airport, waiting for my flight to Rome, where I will hop on a train to join my partner in Sicily. Guilt and regret are assaulting me. Why am I flying?
I could have taken a train, or even a bus. I could also not have gone to Sicily.
So why did I decide to fly? Because not going meant not seeing Stefano for 3 months. Because I love Sicily. Because going by train implied spending about 10 times more money than flying. No exaggeration.
Now that I am sitting here and cannot go back, these reasons suddenly feel insufficient.
So, what can I do about it?
One, not let regrets destroy my experience. Le mal est fait. The CO2 is soon to be in the air. Self-punishment will do nothing about it.
Two, it is time to review the ranking of my values. Where does “protecting the planet” sit compared to curiosity, friends and family, or financial independence?
I always disliked this exercise. It forces me to look too closely at myself. But what better moment than having hours to wait in an airport, on New Year’s Day?