I realized today that the arrival area of an airport is filled with such joy and anticipation and happiness. As I looked around at the people around me as we waited for our respective flights to arrive, I saw many excited faces. I swear you could feel the anticipation in the air. On the flip side, the departure area of an airport can be filled with such raw, sad emotion as loved ones separate for some undetermined time.
It’s kinda like life. There are good days (arrivals) and bad days (departures). One without the other would lessen the importance of either. It’s the balance of life. The good and the bad. The light and the dark. But I digress…..
As I waited, I watched the people around me (I do love to watch people) and I realized that I was smiling. I really enjoyed seeing such excitement on other’s faces. But, there is one reunion that brought a tear to my eye.
In the crowd there was an older gentleman and his wife. She was sitting at the seat closest to the door and he was standing at the rail in front of the door. In one hand he held a “Dora-the-explorer” balloon and in the other a bouquet of pink carnations. You could feel the anticipation as he gently rocked side to side waiting for the doors to part and reveal his arrival. Time passed and with every door opening you could see he was hoping….and then the magical moment arrived. Somehow, someway his daughter and granddaughter came out the door that wasn’t being used. The granddaughter saw grandma first and went barreling down the ramp, under the railing and into her arms before grandpa could say “boo!”. Grandma immediately wrapped her arms around the little girl and smothered her with hugs and kisses and more kisses and hugs. Grandpa made his way over and it was quickly a big group hug with the little girl in the middle. Not far behind was the little girl’s mother and daughter to the older couple. She walked down the ramp with a huge smile on her face and added herself into the group hug.
It was such a beautiful moment. The love, the joy, the raw sincerity of it all. It was some time before the flowers and balloon were handed over as everyone was too busy hugging and kissing.
I love those moments. Moments when love is tangible. Moments when love seems to cause the rest of the world to fall away.
It is this moment I had to share today.
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