Nobel Prize winner (back when that prize actually meant something) Bertrand Russell almost seems to be getting prophetic here... what a man.
Relevant advice to our time particularly; hopefully not even more so the future. Hopefully we get on the right track now.
Sitting by a small round café table at Luleå Airport. 5:20 AM.
Took a cab from Överkalix bus station at 4:05 AM. Busses don't go this early.
Good buddy Andreas gave me a lift there. We got up 3:25. Went straight for the car, after a quick detour to the outhouse on my part. He scraped the car windows free from ice. Chilly night.
Morning light shone golden across the still arctic-looking lagoon. A multitude of birds chirped joyously. No people out but us, but nature's far more resilient.
My flight here leaves 6:50. The cab arrived early, and I would've had time to spare regardless, so I'm writing this as to make some decent use of my time.
I plan to snooze on the plane. Before that: quick walk, bathroom break and security.
The airport's peaceful at this time of day.
At least parts of it. On the lower floor the arrivals hall is still dark, but the sun's shining, and I'm seated in a little foyer with glass roof and windows. All for me.
It's a small airport yet nobody else is on this side. Seems everybody's making their way straight to the upper departure area. The silence makes me a little nervous. What if my flight leaves early? Has everybody boarded already? What's going on?
Maybe I'd best go about my business and rest by the gate instead, even if boarding time is almost an hour away...
Half an hour later: I've been to the loo. I took a stroll - spoke to some White wagtail's perusing the snow and gravel, passed security in a one woman queue, and am now sitting by Norwegian's Gate 5 lounge along with just... four other passengers.
The plane's already waiting. Boarding time's about fifteen minutes away. The crew hasn't arrived yet.
Seems to be a calm flight after all. The calmest I've ever been on... maybe.
*** rewards the early... or was it early bird catches the worm? Something like that. Can't remember the relevant saying precisely.
Onto Stockholm then. and there to the bus; to Märsta; to Odenplan; to Bro; to work.
The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second best time is now.