Airport People

Magical places of arrival, in-between, and departure, airports, how I love them.

From Sherri's Perspective, there are three major groups of passengers at airports. The first are the in-betweeners. They are the sitting ones who typically look bored out of their minds, or if they don't look bored out of their minds, they are sleeping in awkward, back and neck cricking positions on hard plastic chairs. There are some who are productive: they are engrossed in books, networking on Blackberries, or chatting on their phones. Others are eating with languid faces. But most of them have the same expression of blah at where they are and either dreaming of their destination, or where they came from.

Then there are the arrivalers split into two groups. The first group are those who are so stoked to be at their destination. You see them scampering, dancing, smiling, crying, as they collide with loved ones, or a loved home they have missed, or a loved place they have never been to but finally have arrived at.

Then the others are those who have arrived, but it doesn't even phase them. The same vapid, empty expression remains on their faces. They drudge through the winding halls, get their bags and leave with no fanfare. Maybe they dont want to be at their destination, they don't have a home to look forward to, they were forced to come, and dream to be one of the frolicking ones who is thrilled to be exactly where they are.

Lastly, there are the departurers. There are also two groups of these people. The first group are hugging, and crying, but more in the melancholy way than the merry way. They don't want to leave their place of love and comfort, and dread what lies before them. They want to stay where they are, but know that it can't be, thus the crying.

The other group might be hugging and crying, but behind their tears and tight hugs, there is a twinkle in their eyes. They know they are leaving behind loved ones and comfort, but they are going somewhere new, on an adventure. They know saying good-bye is the price to pay for their adventure, but it's worth it, thus the twinkle.

So if my life was an airport right now, and me a passenger, I think Im the in-betweener. Im in the waiting, at my seemingly eternal lay-over. I feel done with my adventure, and now am eager for the next one, but it seems so faraway still. Will I ever arrive? Will my plane ever take-off? Im sure things that have happened the last few months have pushed me from excited arrivaler to a bored in-betweener, but whatever it was, that's where I am.

But soon I will be a departurer. I will be crying, and hugging Thailand tight, but, yes, there will be a large twinkle in my eye.

And then...hopefully I can bring some joy to the departurers and in-betweeners, when I finally become a frolicking, dancing, crying, hugging arrivaler at the airport. Come for the show if ya want!