Waiting to Land
"What makes an airport is the tension between waiting and leaving."What is it about traveling that gets us? You know, grabs us at the juggler, the gut, and even the heartstrings. I am an avid traveller--nomad, forager, gypsy (gypsy cat gonna gypsy).
- Chine-Chi Chang
"I am in transit. No one knows me here." The anonymity that comes with traveling is a welcomed encounter. So many people coming together in one space in order to get to their next destination. Some in a hurry, some with ample time to kill. Some dressed comfortably and others in full fledged business attire or dressed to the nines. I like to think of their stories when we pass. Where are they going to? Is this their first flight? Are they entitled and known to complain? Being the complainer at the airport, I imagine, is the worst person to deal with mainly because of the pace in a revolving door setting and the anticipation that comes with waiting to get to where you are going. I think the only ounce of relief comes when you finally land at your final destination. Final as in, home perhaps. I know that is how I feel after a long journey when I am ready to make it home.
I often like to think of "home" as our metaphor for relief and long exhale. The safe place to land and finally release the tension you may have been carrying around with you
The last time I flew, I took my ukulele and found the busiest and noisiest catwalk that I could. I played for approximately one hour and observed people as they passed. Many people smiled, some sat near me for ten minutes or so to unwind. You could easily tell who it was that loved music and how such a vibration brought people together in that brief, but significant moment of their day. Music is the highlight of most of my day--it's always buzzing on the stereo, through headphones, or in the living room at home.
It's the number one element that connects all of my senses and links me with my inner rhythm. And sharing music, to me, is the ultimate window because it allows you a glimpse into what someone enjoys. Even if you do not have similar tastes in music, you certainly have to appreciate the moment when a song speaks to them. It's utterly charming. And that's how I felt in that moment in the airport while playing music. It was the only time ever I saw so many people connected in such a typically non-intimate and cold space, and it certainly helped my very long layover pass through like a breeze.
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