Arriving

I was at JFK International Airport a few days ago to pick up my friends from their vacation in Puerto Rico. I waited outside of the airport arrival area for quite a long time. I remember doing this when I was about 10 years old or so. I remember picking up my grandmother as she arrived from the Dominican Republic one cold winter. Back then JFK was the only airport I knew about. We stood in crowds of people eagerly waiting for a glimpse of her. When we finally spotted her there was a sense of joy and relief.

That night reminded me of a time when picking someone up from the airport was an event. I was happy to see it still is for many people. The gate was filled with people from different nationalities Jamaican, Puerto Rican, Salvadorian, and Israeli. All were part of an audience in hopeful anticipation. Some held humorous signs, husbands and boyfriends had flowers in hand waiting for their "one and only," (yes it's true...chivalry is not dead). The appearance of an expected passenger brought shouts. Some passengers felt like celebrities on the red carpet. Rendezvous were endearing. Some were just smiling gazes and one word greetings. It was refreshing to see.

I reflected on how airport pickups embody acceptance and hospitality. They contain encouragement, cheer leaders and personal rooting squads. They bring to the surface thoughts and feelings that are too often not spoken or taken for granted. I wondered how our lives would change if we made most of our meetings "airport pickups". If we saw people as always "arriving," we would express our love to one another more frequently. We would appreciate each other more. We in turn would feel appreciated, cared for and encouraged.

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."

1 Thessalonians 5:11
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