lifeasmission

Mini-Worlds

June 16, 2006

I love flying.  Obviously, the notions of waking up in one country and going to sleep in another, not to mention the sheer unbelievablity of soaring miles above ground at hundreds miles an hour, are cool in and of themselves, but they are not my favorite part.  My favorite part of flying is airports.

As I write this I am enjoying a layover in Atlanta, GA.  It’s like a mini-world here.  Everyone I pass is from somewhere else in the world.  People are speaking different languages, dressed differently, acting differently, and going different places.  I love trying to read peoples expressions and body language.  That guy over there is stressed because he can’t find the right gate.  This gentleman is completely dependant on someone else to get him from A to B because he is wheelchair-bound.  That mom is talking on her phone, trying to find a place to eat and entertaining her 3-year-old all at the same time.  I think my favorite people are all the business professionals.  Hopelessly tied to their cellphones, bluetooth devices, and high powered suits, I always wonder, “How do they manage to look so natural in their fine attire? (I love dressing up, but it always feels weird because I do it so infrequently).

More than anything, what occupies my thoughts as I travel from airport to airport is, “What is Life all about for these people.”  I use Life, with a capital L intentionally.  I don’t mean what do these people do, where are they from, and how do they fill their time.  I mean, how do they understand what it means to be alive.  What grand purpose or meaning do they attribute existence to, if any?  Can you imagine the disparity of thoughts on this mattter?  I wish I had the guts to take a random survey. 

Sadly, my hunch tells me that most of them would say that they hadn’t given it much thought.  Or, even if they were to articulate something, it would be merely be a product of what they have gleaned from others, devoid of serious personal reflection.  That’s very sad to me.

Nevertheless, I love people and I love diversity, so anytime I get to fly, I look forward to spending some time in airports taking in all the people, imagining what their worlds are like, and praying that they find the time and/or a reason to truly reflect on what Life is all about anyway.

Posted in: culture, theology