The Man on the Airplane

This piece is #9 in the “Life in My 20s” Series and was originally written around 2005. The current poem below has slight modifications, and the introductory commentary is current as of the time of this post.

The Man on the Airplane is not one of my favorite pieces, if I’m being honest. However, it does have a purpose. It’s a piece I recall writing based off of a real-life chance encounter between a young women and the man sitting next to her on an airplane. Somehow, the two got to talking about her relationships and challenges with men who seem to like her, but then flee or don’t hang around for long. The man decided to give her unsolicited feedback about why, from his perspective, men had a challenging time being with or around her.

He was evidently very blunt and straightforward. And though the young woman knew that the man spoke at least some truth, and maybe it was Divine Guidance that put him next to her on that plane, she still wondered what might be her role in the whole process of relationships — after all, there are two sides of the fence. Maybe it came down to being with a man who was ready to experience being authentic and seen with her, and that hadn’t happened yet. Maybe she chose the wrong men for her due to old patterns she was accustomed to seeing or experiencing. Or maybe, it came down to Divine Timing, and she just hadn’t met the man yet that would choose to be with her, as she would choose to be with him.

In the many possible scenarios she could ponder, she was open and receptive to the man’s words on the airplane and his compliments in seeing her as she was from his perspective. She also knew it was simply information that he was sharing, and she could apply what she thought worked for her, while throwing away the rest.

Ultimately, when it is all said and done, what is most essential to take away from this story is that we are each worthy of being with someone who will stand beside us through the good and the not-so-good, laugh with us, honor us, respect us, spend time with us, and enhance our lives, as we choose to do and be the same for them.

With much love,

Ronda

The Man on the Airplane

She met a man
on the airplane today
Who caught her eye
And had a lot to say

“You’re a beautiful girl
Intelligent too
A little bit weird
Here’s what guys see in you

You have true independence
And do you understand
That due to this
They feel less of a  man

And from this independence
It’s interpreted too
The lack of a possible
Commitment from you

Charisma, Charm
Confidence too
Qualities that
Draw them to you

These qualities though
You should see
Are the qualities
That make them flee

So pretty girl
You’ve got it all
And because of this
Men can’t stand tall

So those who say
“You like to dance.
I like to watch people dance.”
Won’t give you a chance.

But rest assured
Almost guaranteed
That one day
They’ll wake up in need

And will come to regret
The decision they made
For it was with you
That they had it made

They had it all
And threw it away
And now my dear
Without you they pay”

So this great man
She had to say
Reaffirmed (some of) her thoughts
To her sad dismay

Though she was not discouraged
For one day it would work out
And she knew it would be worth it
Without a doubt