Monday, January 10, 2005

leaving on a jet plane...

a few years ago, i went to california on a part business/part pleasure trip. it was supposed to be entirely business but because my company wanted me to stay over on the saturday, i had 3 days to do anything i wanted. i remember landing in LA and just as i stepped off the airplane and headed down the long corridor to the gate, i realized that i had no one there to meet me. i was suddenly overwhelmed with immense lonliness. meeting up with someone is my favourite part of being in an airport. as i approaced the gate, i saw what seemed to be a gazillion of anxious faces hoping that the next person through would be their loved one. for some strange reason, i secretly hoped that by some miracle, i too, would see a familiar face in the crowd, but i also knew that would be virtually impossible since no one knew i was landing at that time. i could see the anticipation and the almost disappointment that my face wasn't the familiar one they were seeking. then there were all the hugs and kisses for those who no longer had to wait. i just love that.

i love going to the airport. i love waiting at the arrival gate and i love watching people leave. there is always so much love. even when you see so much sadness in a person's eyes, to see their loved on flying off somewhere, you know that those tears are because they love that person that much. it is really a beautiful sight.

i was at the airport on friday. a couple locked in the longest embrace, followed by the sweetest, most delicate kiss. not a single word was exchanged, and at the same time, so much was being communicated just by the way they gazed in each other's eyes. nothing had to be said. a man in his 60's maybe, bear hugging two 20 somethings at the same time. again, no words were exchanged. hundreds of people surrounding them and i doubt any of them even noticed.

being at an airport is always like a different world - a place where love is always so apparent. it doesn't get much better than that.

pb

2 comments:

Naughti Biscotti said...
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Naughti Biscotti said...

Came across your blog while browsing. Finally, another blogger who speaks everyday English. So many people either write in cryptic netspeak or are addicted to their thesaurus. Well done! I enjoyed reading your experience at the airport. I love it for the same reason; unrestricted emotion. It's beautiful. Check out my blog shandisexpression.blogspot.com