Full Upright and Locked, by Jim Mazza

There is a moment when ...
you have buckled in, placed your tray table into the full upright and locked position, and listened to the safety message about exit doors and unlikely events (such as a water landing), how to inflate your life vest by pulling on the tab after you exit the aircraft or by blowing into the small red valve (should the life vest fail to inflate) and how the little beacon light will illuminate automatically.

There is a moment when ...
the captain says over the loudspeaker "We are #3 for take off" and "Flight attendants please be seated" and we are reminded to keep the window shades up during take-off and landing.

There is a moment when ...
the child in the row behind you has stopped kicking your seat and the guy next to you has finished his dripping hot-sausage-and-pepper-and-onion submarine sandwich brought onto the plane in his carry-on, and the arm rests are lowered.

There is a moment when ...
the plane moves toward the runway and waits, and then moves forward again and waits, and then, finally, makes a turn onto the runway to wait again.

There is a moment when ...
sitting at the end of the runway it seems everyone, for a split second, has stopped talking — although the baby in Row 29 is still crying.

There is a moment when ...
in the near silence the plane is perfectly still but its power and throbbing desire to hurtle down the runway is obvious and all around you.

There is a moment when ...
there is absolute peace as you realize that the adventure is afoot and there will be memories and photos and writing-filled travel journals.

There is a moment when ...
the pilot releases the brake, the engines roar and the plane speeds down the runway — and it is a moment of light-headed happiness and full-on joy!