Above the clouds

One thing I have a hard time understanding is people closing the blinds on planes and staring at their phones. When they are above the clouds! For most of human history it was only a dream to be up there. For much of humanity that is still the case  Looking out at the clouds is like staring at the ocean, it's a vision of infinity and should be appreciated as such. As with the sea, you can't stare at it the whole time, but to be able to pause in one's reading and look out at the clouds is a rare treat. The mere proximity to the sun has a specialness to it.

For business travelers who have to get a presentation ready or fire off 30 emails, I get it. Also traveling at night, particularly in the absence of a very full and bright moon, I get it. But in the morning?

Yesterday flying home from LaGuardia I was at first trapped next to this enormous guy who barely fit in his dark window seat, I felt for him, but it was a little tight for me too. Half an hour into the flight I stood up and discovered that this "extremely full flight" -- per the captain -- had a bunch of empty seats up in the rows they try to upsell you into. I moved to an empty pair of seats and looked out the window. It was night and day.