The Ladies From Belfast

Today I thought of the ladies from Belfast. These ladies were a group of about 7 or 8 women I had on the plane about a decade ago. They ranged in age from mid 30s to 70 and all lived on the same street.

None of this is what makes them stick in my memory. They were delightful passengers, the sort you want on every flight. Even that is not what makes them still travel with me.

What keep them with me is the fact that they nonchalantly said that they had saved 7 years for this trip by scrimping on grocery money.

For many of us in our 30s or younger, we have not grown up with delayed gratification in any real sense. Heck, even layaway plans have largely disappeared. It made me feel so very damn lucky to be able to travel the world without having to do without little extras for 7 years to do so. And that was only for one trip.


That they were so nonchalant about it stopped me in my tracks. These ladies were thrilled to bits to be on that plane and I was thrilled to have made their acquaintance. The memory of them gives me a continual reality check when I gripe about my job or plan a trip that I can take on a moments notice.

I gave the ladies a bag full of airplane minis to take with them (shhh....do not tell !) It was the very least I could do to help them on their way. I hope to have you gals on the plane again, with the exchange rate, another trip to the states should require less scrimping!!