Nervous flyer here!

My longtime friends know this about me, but for those of you who don’t know me well, let me tell you that flying is not my favorite. Interesting, since my husband is a pilot. I am determined to overcome this, though, which is why I found myself in the airport a few days ago.

Our flight had been delayed, and if you read my previous post on Deeper Waters, you’ll see how I amused myself while waiting; anything to pass the time.

Once we finally boarded, I realized I had a middle seat. Because Jeff and I fly standby, we don’t often get to sit together. And, because nobody likes the middle seat, that’s where those of us on standby usually end up. So although we were on the same row, number 12, we had to look at each other past a couple of people and across the aisle.

Because I had a ton of nervous energy by the time I found my seat, I immediately began a conversation with anyone around me who was willing. There was one super nice lady in front of me who had the biggest prettiest smile; I was hoping she would be my seat partner, but she wasn’t. Once the young man, who would end up sitting by the window, came and sat down next to me, I gave him a couple of minutes to get situated. Then I started in with questions.

Poor guy didn’t have a chance.

I wasn’t too many questions in when I finally asked, “so why are you headed to Minneapolis?” To which he responded, rather quietly, “I’m going to my mom’s funeral.”

Long dramatic pause.

What?!? (I thought but didn’t say.)

Guys, I can’t tell you in that moment everything I felt. My heart dropped, and , suddenly, I felt very purposeful in that particular seat, on that very flight, on this day. I told him how sorry I was and how I lost my mom as well. Of course, I wasn’t just twenty seven years old when my mom passed, I did get more years with her. I asked him if it was expected, and he said no, he’d been traveling all night from Paris to get back for the funeral. He was/is a doctoral student, studying the retina in hopes to find a cure for eye disease. He is bilingual and has lived in Paris for five years. His mother was a French teacher and encouraged him to live abroad, such an interesting life. (I know that’s a lot of info, I told you I asked a lot of questions.) He was so kind, and we talked for the better part of the flight before he finally put on his headphones and took some time to regroup before the plane landed.

I did get the chance to ask him if he was a person of faith, to which he responded that he was. I told him how grateful I was for heaven because I know I will see my mom again, and he will see his too, and he agreed.

How does anyone bear such loss without belief in eternal life?

My heart is still broken for the young man as I think about him attending the funeral of his precious mama. He told me they were close. After much thought, he decided he was going to go back to Paris after the funeral to continue to work on his doctoral thesis. I told him his mom would be proud of him and definitely want him to do that.

As moms, we so want our kids to live their fullest and best lives.

I hope that my children, when I’m gone, continue to live and carry on the legacy of faith and love and family.

It’s so important.

The plane landed and I was so happy to be on the ground. I maintained a respectful quiet as we gathered our things; I knew he was about to face some really hard times. It was just as we were about to get out of the seat that I decided to tell him to take care.

And that’s what I did.

“Take care,” I said and he replied, “thank you so much, the conversation was a welcome distraction.”

I felt so sorry for him.

And then I started to get out of my seat. But as I was getting up, I got snatched back down into the seat abruptly because I’d forgotten to unbuckle my seatbelt.

You guys, the Lord most definitely knows how to bring balm into our broken hearts. I quickly unbuckled and made my exit. Once I got off the plane, my heart was heavy, but I had to giggle. And I really hope he got a laugh out of it too.

So much for quiet and peaceful exit.

God is faithful and I know he is with this young man; and I pray he goes on to live his very best life in honor of his dear mom.

We never know why we are in the place we are in, but God knows. I never would’ve thought about this happening to me, I was so caught up in my own fear. God lifted me up out of my current situation, quite literally, and gave me a broader perspective.

There’s a lot of pain in this world, we may as well be a listening ear for someone who might need a welcome distraction.

And please, learn from me, be sure to unbuckle before you try to get out of your seat.