“Arriving at one goal is the starting point to another.”

— John Dewey

Call me crazy, but I really love airports.  Let me qualify that:  I really love airports when my travel allows me time to explore all the shops and restaurants and faces of other travelers.  If traveling from point A to point B requires a touchdown in point A2, I always feel as though I’ve been offered a mini-adventure in the middle of my trip.

When I arrive at point A2, the first thing I always do is check the monitors that show flight status.  They sit side by side, and one shows the arrivals while the other lists the departures.  I sit right in the middle of the two; and when I find the number of the flight I’ve just taken, its status is ARRIVED.

Arrived.  There is a sort of completeness implied by that word.  It means that I’ve made it to the original airport in time, gone through the security checkpoints, boarded, flown, and landed safely.  I have arrived; but still my eyes are drawn to the second monitor — the one that shows departures.  When I turn to that one, I am hoping to find my flight number next to the words, ON TIME.  This is not always the case.  Sometimes DELAYED appears, and I need to check several times before I learn the newly-scheduled departure time.  On rare occasions, the message is CANCELLED.  Then I really need to regroup.  DELAYED means I have more time to explore the airport at point A2, but CANCELLED means I will spend most of my layover making new plans.  On a day when my plans are cancelled, point B can seem very far away.

I suppose you’ve guessed by now that I’m not only talking about airports.  Life is a lot like a flight from point A to point B with layovers between the legs of the trip.  It’s important to remember that one arrival simply sets us up for the next departure; and we hope there will be a bit of adventure along the way.  When the message is CANCELLED, we should never feel as though we have arrived.  CANCELLED is a wonderful opportunity to regroup and choose a new direction, without losing sight of our destination.

I wish you smooth and safe travels today with plenty of adventure and time for people-watching.  May your planes touch down safely and may you stay the course; but may you never feel as though you have arrived.  Each arrival is just a layover before the next departure.