Every time I
am in an airport, I find myself smiling – just smiling as I people-watch. I
can’t help it. Perhaps it’s because being surrounded by people of so many ages
and ethnicities gives me a sort of glimpse at the greater worldwide family.
Perhaps it’s because I can enjoy lots of precious little babies and little
children as they pass me by (and this always brings a smile to my face!).
Perhaps it’s because being in a hub of travel is a poignant reminder – sometimes
conscious, other times not – that all of us are on this journey called life. We
are all travelers. We are all pilgrims. We are all headed toward another
destination.
And yet, as
I gaze at the sea of faces, I can’t help but wonder how many are journeying
through life unaware of the final destination, oblivious to eternity. I often
smile directly at individuals as they pass me by (or I pass by them). Sometimes
they smile back, with a somewhat surprised manner. Other times their eyes meet
mine in a blank, empty stare.
The airport
impresses upon me a sense of just how many people there are in the world, and
how inter-connected we really are, however unaware. Of course, Faith has a name
for this: the Mystical Body of Christ. While I think most people probably have
some sense of being connected to the larger human family, Faith highlights the
reality of this connection. Different and many though we are, we have the same
Father.
Individuals
– many of them from the next seat on the aircraft – that I’ve interacted with
come to mind…the gal I gave a homemade Rosary to before parting ways; the young
woman who asked me about the Theology of the Body book I was reading, prompting
a few-hour discussion that ended in her giving me a ride from the airport home
(we discovered we were practically neighbors!); the engineer who didn’t believe
in God and who seemed to view life as just another mechanism; the buddist who
believes that God is not a Supreme Being but is inside each person…
Most of my
“airport acquaintances” I will probably never meet again this side of eternity.
And yet, I know that their Creator and Father reaches out to them and calls to
their hearts just as He calls mine. I remember them when I pray, and hope that
one day we may find ourselves reacquainted in the Kingdom of God…where all scales
will fall from our eyes, the fullness of reality will be fully known to us, and
the destination will be reached.
Wow, you're really good at making friends at airports! I'm nowhere near that forward but I do love airports, more so though because I like being alone and knowing that no one will be trying to get in touch with me (I know, I'm a social butterfly! lol), and I like traveling alone. I always seem to do some good thinking at airports, too. I also like watching people. Yesterday at the Kansas City airport there was a Muslim family and the two boys had their prayer mat out and were praying.
ReplyDeleteClaire and Sarah! Hello! So good to hear from you! I miss you both. I really enjoyed reading this post. It reminds me of the time I went flying and sat next to a young Catholic mother who was reading some of the writings of Bl. John Paul II! Great memories. I also understand what you mean about smiling at people in the airport. I tryed the same thing in a grocery store recently and got the same results. (some smiles and some empty stares.) :)
ReplyDeleteGod Bless!
Mary F.