“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt
to love one another." ~ Romans 13:8
Gina took a sip of her fresh
peppermint latte and stared out at the sea of faces flowing like water to their
destinations in the busy airport terminal. Leaving late for the Christmas holiday could jolt
even a cheerful person into despair.
A young child, dressed as Superman, wailed as he said goodbye
to his military father. An older man
appears hopeless when told he ‘just’ missed his flight. A befuddled guide dog attempts cutting
through the human traffic with limited success.
Gina was determined to make the best of her journey homeward
despite the persistent clamor, overpriced food and rude travelers. Finding a quiet spot at LaGuardia can be
difficult. Yet after searching for 27
minutes, she found a quiet hallway at the far end of the concourse.
The only other person in the area was a twenty-something
young woman curled into a corner. She
was quietly weeping to herself, looking at her phone and obviously distraught.
“Chocolate makes everything better,” she said with a slight
grin.
Through her tears the young woman said, “Thanks, that’s
really sweet of you!” before packing it into her bag.
Gina buried herself in the book she’d purchased to pass the
time. When she looked up an hour or so
later, the young woman had left.
Gathering her belongings, she headed toward the gate and merrily boarded
her flight to Omaha. Almost home.
After settling into her seat, Gina watched as the (previously-sobbing)
young woman found the last available seat on the plane – directly in front of
her. The young woman had no idea that Gina
was sitting right behind her.
Just before takeoff, Gina overheard
the young woman telling the passenger next to her, “I was traveling standby. The airline was jerking me around; giving me no
helpful information. This was the last
Christmas Eve flight out.”
“In the midst of my meltdown, the sweetest thing
happened. A wonderful lady approached
me, handed me a chocolate bar and told me that everything was going to be all
right. It was so nice!”
Gina smiled yet continued her anonymity. She hadn’t needed to find out what was wrong
or why the girl was crying. She just
wanted to connect with her during a tough time.
This Christmas, give the gift of kindness. Acknowledge, honor and connect with someone
not because of what it does for you but because of what it can do for
others. That’s a true gift.
Dear Lord, during this Advent season, teach me
to love like Jesus. Don’t let me settle
for a love that’s safe and bordered. Open
my arms wide to others. Help me to love
in a way that’s unrestricted, unbounded, and unrelenting. Amen
