Back in New England

The return trip to Boston from Amman was mostly uneventful. The air travel was quite fine and relaxing but of the six movies I watched, I don’t remember any titles that I could recommend to you. Sure, some of them were entertaining and I just a movie’s success on how well I remember it the next morning. I can scarcely remember the titles.

The new terminal at the Queen Alia airport is impressive. The lofty ceilings create a stately, comfortable sense of space. It feels like it was designed for someone important to arrive. It is a well-designed space and I’m pleased to see Amman’s entry in the modern world of transportation.

Next, it would be spectacular to see rail transportation from the airport to the capital city’s west end. I dream.

Heathrow airport is spectacular with all its hustle and bustle. The social commerce is energizing.

The food poisoning I received must have been from the chicken Caesar salad sandwich served one hour before the plan landed in Boston. Once I eliminate the source from my system, I could feel myself improve dramatically.

I was delighted to be welcomed by Marybeth and Janet. They are friends who met each other a decade ago. I told them that the other would arrive to greet me, but they weren’t sure they could identify each other. Happily, when I passed through the gates of the terminal, both their arms went up in a wave. It was the first moment that they could identify one another. They laughed because they were standing right next to each other the whole time and didn’t know the other person was waiting for me.

The temperatures were very nice, but what tickled me the most was seeing that everything was green. Tall deep grasses; greens of every color; the splendor of the lush, fullness of summer made me feel deep down happy. I wanted to throw off my shoes and run barefoot through the cool grass.  I want to paint and draw many of those trees.

I made it to our Newbury Street residence easily, through Marybeth’s generosity of time, and was able to pick up a Province car. I chuckled as I drove away because the muffler is not attached to the main exhaust pipe and everyone notices me when I enter the roadway. There’s no escaping my advent. I was made to feel at home because many cars in Jordan do not have good exhaust systems or stringent emission controls.

Seeing my brothers at the Jesuit Community was very fine. I have been so well welcomed and I’m grateful for their generosity and companionship.