It was my wife's birthday recently.

So this is a meditation in honour of her.

It's also about her.

So Lucy, if you're listening, I know this is probably making you cringe, but I promise it'll be okay.

And dear listener, I think a good place to start is telling you about the moment I realized I was going to ask her to marry me.

Thank you. at the moment I realized I was going to ask her to marry me.

My wife and I are heading to Austin, Texas, for the South by Southwest Conference and Festival.

We're both excited.

Starting in Glasgow, we change at Heathrow

and get on a much bigger plane out to Austin.

I recognise a couple of people I know from my old life in London who are also going over for South by Southwest.

I suspect most of us on the plane are.

I always enjoy taking off.

My hands in my lap, my feet planted firmly,

breathing.

Feeling the smooth metallic surface of the buckle around the seatbelt,

this symbol of safety.

Close to my belly and the gentle rhythm of breathing.

The physicality of what is like to accelerate along the runway, the vibrations of the cabin,

and the always surprising moment when we lift off, and are just supported by the air noise movement people and

just breathing and Kahn Just breathing

It's a long flight.

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