This week I flew business class for the first time. For the first time, I looked forward to the 14-hour haul between NYC and Delhi to visit our factory. I boarded early while the cabin was still empty, opted for a small glass of champagne, and struck conversation with the flight attendant who complimented my Rachel Dress. We chatted about Mixed and how I used to be a middle school teacher.
I was struck by how full-circle it all felt. I remembered my very first trip to India two years ago, when I was 28 and nervously flying halfway across the world to visit our factory. I was beaming with pride from the very last rows of the plane. Back then, I was scrappy, wide-eyed, and determined. That trip, more than any, has held a distinct place in my memories—seeing the factory floor for the first time, meeting our production team for the first time. The small fledgling business I started felt real. I’m still that scrappy, wide-eyed girl — but this flight felt like a quiet milestone. A sign of how far I’ve come and how much I’ve built.
My early firsts tend to be more vivid. Going from 0 to 1 is often more meaningful than 1 to 10. Even if later firsts are “bigger,” I’ve found it’s true what they say—nothing’s ever quite like the first time.
I thought about the flight I took to India last year around this time. That trip was hard. I was sandwiched between two passengers in the back of the plane and welled up as it took off, coming off a recent breakup and a slow season in the business. I even remember the man next to me asking me about my work. When I said it was going well he said, “it must not be going that well if you’re sitting back here.” I took no offense. Touché, I thought. The contrast between that flight and this one made this moment even sweeter.
First times make you pause. They inspire reflection and remind you that you’re stronger or more capable than you thought. They spark identity shifts—you start to see yourself differently on the other side of them. And eventually, they become part of your personal lore. I know for sure I’ll be telling the story about my first factory visit for a while :)
I think that’s why this flight felt so meaningful. It wasn’t just about the seat or the champagne. It was about realizing I am no longer who I was the first time I flew to India, or even who I was last year. It was a marker in time—proof that growth is happening.
And maybe the most beautiful thing about firsts is that they pull you into the present. For a brief moment, you’re not racing ahead or thinking about what’s next—you’re right there, noticing it, feeling it, taking it in it fully.
~Nasrin