A recent flight delay because of a mechanical issue with the plane reminded me how often in life we put our faith and trust in complete strangers.

Welcome to the 86^th edition of The Sunday Spark, a series with weekly thoughts and highlights, nuggets of learning, and a decluttering challenge for the week. In this week’s edition, we’re also celebrating Diwali, learning Japanese, sitting in Toronto traffic, and decluttering miscellaneous clothing items.

On my mind this week: Faith and trust

Last week, I went on a short business trip to Chicago. When a mechanical issue delayed my Air Canada flight from Toronto by over four hours, it was a reminder of how often in life we put our faith and trust in complete strangers.

The trip started off uneventfully. The drive to the airport was quick, and I cleared security and US customs at Pearson in record time. As I arrived at the gate, the Air Canada app notified me of a 25-minute delay. No big deal!

After we boarded the plane for our planned 2:25 departure, the captain announced they were investigating a mechanical issue with the aircraft. From my seat, I had a clear view of the work going on outside. The cover was off the right engine, and several technicians were standing around looking bewildered. I admit to feeling a sense of relief when, after about 45 minutes, the captain announced we would not be flying to Chicago on that plane.

We got off the plane, received a $15 airport food voucher, and awaited further instructions. After about an hour, they sent us to a different gate to board another aircraft with a different crew, and off to Chicago we went. I was happy to arrive safely. I did miss dinner with my colleagues, but they were kind enough to bring me a doggie bag back from the restaurant.

Putting our faith and trust in others

All you need is faith, trust, and a little pixie dust!

Peter Pan

This was an excellent reminder of how often in life, we must put our faith and trust in complete strangers. Every time we get on a plane, we willingly place our lives in the hands of the captain, the crew, and every maintenance person who has worked on that aircraft.

As I think back on my life, I see other notable examples where my life was in the hands of strangers.

• When I had my cancer treatment, I trusted the experience and wisdom of the medical staff who developed and carried out my treatment plan, and the pharmaceutical companies who produced the life-saving drugs.
• During the pandemic, I chose to trust that our public officials were making the best decisions they could with the information they had available to them. And I willingly trusted the research and science behind the vaccines.

And there are other examples of putting our faith and trust in someone we know, even when the path forward is uncertain. Getting married is an act of trust. And choosing to have kids is the ultimate leap of faith because you really don’t know what you’ll get!

I’m an optimistic person. I believe life is less stressful when we approach it with faith and trust. I ask questions and try to stay well informed. But I also acknowledge that I will never fully understand exactly how a plane gets off the ground, how chemotherapy drugs work, or how the signal gets from the TV station to my living room. I put my trust in the smart people who do know, because I refuse to let negativity and cynicism rule my life!

Bring on the pixie dust!

(As an aside, I have a poor track record travelling through Chicago. Read about my adventures at O’Hare Airport on a different trip here.)

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Three highlights of the week

It’s important to celebrate big milestones and simple pleasures in life. Keeping the trend going, here are three highlights and simple pleasures of the week gone by:

• My new retirement coaching website is live! Watch for an official announcement this week, but I’m feeling a definite sense of accomplishment.
• The mild weather stuck around, and the expected rain held off, for the trick-or-treaters on Halloween night. We had about 80 kids drop by—much more than recent years.
• On Friday, I completed the final assignment for my course.

Things I learned this week

Life is all about learning. Here are three things I learned this week:

About Diwali

Happy Diwali to all who celebrate!

Diwali is India’s most important holiday. Although it was originally a Hindu holiday, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists also celebrate Diwali. Each religion has its own origin story, but all have a common theme of the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil!

Diwali is a 5-day festival, with the date determined by the Hindu lunar calendar. Celebrations vary by religion and culture, with each day having its own rituals and significance. An abundance of sweets, family gatherings, and the lighting of clay lamps are some of the highlights.

(Source: National Geographic)

Toronto traffic worst in North America

If you live in the Greater Toronto Area, you know all about traffic! TomTom’s Traffic Index ranks Toronto as North America’s worst city for traffic. In fact, Toronto ranks as the third worst in the world after London and Dublin.

Yet our government’s investment in public transit remains pitiful!

(Source: TomTom)

Learning Japanese

I learned a new Japanese phrase this week, Wabi Sabi. And no, it’s not that spicy green stuff you put on your sushi. (That’s wasabi!) Wabi Sabi means “finding beauty in imperfection”. I like that.

This week’s decluttering challenge – Miscellaneous clothing items

In 2024, I’ve been revisiting the 52-Week Decluttering Challenge I completed in 2021. This week’s challenge was miscellaneous clothing items, including socks, underwear, swimwear, and athletic wear. I’m happy to report I decluttered 13 items, and I even inspired my daughter to go through her sock drawer. Find the details, along with my tips and learnings, in this week’s decluttering post.

Join the challenge! Visit this post to download your free checklists and jump right in with this week’s task.

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I’d love to hear what you think about any of this week’s topics. Leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts and ideas.