layover
(a pocket of time)

layover is unique. it's a period of waiting between two parts of a trip that affords a liminal time space feeling.

when i have a layover between flights, or between trains, before doing anything i figure out how much time i have. is it an hour? two hours? three hours? or in the case of (salt) — two weeks. an especially long layover, as far as typical layovers go.

after i know how much time i have, i begin to make some decisions with that time —

in a typical layover, usually i take care of basics first, like getting water, going to the bathroom, finding food if i'm hungry. a layover is first about being present in the here and now in a fundamental, self-sufficient way.

after the bases are covered, then we might find other ways to prepare for the next leg of our journey — like finding food because i know i might be hungry while on the next flight and don't want to order the airplane food, or maybe preparing in other ways like downloading movies for the flight now that i have wifi, charging my device, etc.

once we feel like we've covered our bases and we feel generally prepared for the next leg of our journey, with any time we have left, it becomes this special "pocket of time" to explore anything else we might like to. sometimes on a layover i treat myself to a nice meal so i can do some writing i'd put off in my everyday life. or maybe i go for a walk just to see the different parts of the airport for fun. this part of the layover feels like a healthy balance between being present and curious while also taking any quiet time, away from everyday life, to do some deeper work, if we feel like it.

sometimes i wonder if all of life is a big layover. that is, we always have to take care of our essential needs, and we always need to be planning a bit for the future, and we always need to be enjoying the moment if possible. a layover just puts all of this into clearer focus.

however, now that i think about it, they are actually pretty different. i suppose the one thing that's quite different about a layover than everyday life is the "pocket of time" aspect -- in everyday life, we are in well-run routines that are often collaborative with others. when we travel outside of these routines, and away from these conversations with others, we have time to be in conversation more with our own self. it's easier to hear our own inner needs and curiosities without all the noise and regular patterns of life.

when i first arrived in my room at (salt), i remember reading how layover is a "time to work on yourself." whenever i found myself confused about what to do, i remembered this recommendation, and regained focus about what i should be doing or feeling. it's rare in everyday life we are recommended this - so it's a quite beautiful and generous frame.

i'm curious how other residents used their time, but i suppose i utilized it by first having a workshop, hiking with friends in oreums, walking and running by myself along the water, finishing many miscellaneous tasks on my own (like emails, my fall tax preparation, some light client work), planning for next year, writing, and having many wonderful meals and talks with (salt) staff.