While waiting for my flight, I always sneak a peak at the other gates and their destinations. Where are all these people going?
Today I passed by gate 37 and 38. Bermuda and Hartford. It struck me how these people, sitting side by side, maybe even with some overlap and spillage onto each other’s gates were heading to two entirely different locations. They will be having two entirely different experiences. They must be thinking two entirely different things at this moment.
Sometimes I sit at another gate just to pretend. A place I’ve never been. To pretend I’m going there, preparing my state of mind for that place, for…Sarasota. I have no idea where that is. What would someone going there look like? What would I be thinking?
Sometimes I go and sit where I stand out. Then I can ask myself what others ask when they see me – what would someone like me be doing there?
Place defines me. And I always try to define it. No doubt. This entire blog is situated on who I am when I am where, there and here. But for the first time in a long time it doesn’t matter so much. I surrender. I give up the fight. I am letting the place, the experiences, choose me. I surrender my angst, my expectations and even a bit of my curiosity. I have no idea what will happen, what this place will truly bring me. How this place will transform me. But for the first time in a long time, yes, I know exactly what I am doing here.
People are asking, why DC? So you like DC? No more or less than one likes Bermuda or Hartford. Who knows? This is a place that welcomes me and challenges me. That inspires me and irks me. That provides just the right amount of fear and comfort. That is enough. I am here to live – this time in consecutive years. But who knows, just like the man sitting in Gate 38, Hartford may be a layover on the way to his Bermuda. Does he hate Hartford? Is he expecting Bermuda? Will he fall in love with it? Who knows?
Or maybe he’s like me, just sitting in Harford’s gate but really waiting for Sarasota…
Today I passed by gate 37 and 38. Bermuda and Hartford. It struck me how these people, sitting side by side, maybe even with some overlap and spillage onto each other’s gates were heading to two entirely different locations. They will be having two entirely different experiences. They must be thinking two entirely different things at this moment.
Sometimes I sit at another gate just to pretend. A place I’ve never been. To pretend I’m going there, preparing my state of mind for that place, for…Sarasota. I have no idea where that is. What would someone going there look like? What would I be thinking?
Sometimes I go and sit where I stand out. Then I can ask myself what others ask when they see me – what would someone like me be doing there?
Place defines me. And I always try to define it. No doubt. This entire blog is situated on who I am when I am where, there and here. But for the first time in a long time it doesn’t matter so much. I surrender. I give up the fight. I am letting the place, the experiences, choose me. I surrender my angst, my expectations and even a bit of my curiosity. I have no idea what will happen, what this place will truly bring me. How this place will transform me. But for the first time in a long time, yes, I know exactly what I am doing here.
People are asking, why DC? So you like DC? No more or less than one likes Bermuda or Hartford. Who knows? This is a place that welcomes me and challenges me. That inspires me and irks me. That provides just the right amount of fear and comfort. That is enough. I am here to live – this time in consecutive years. But who knows, just like the man sitting in Gate 38, Hartford may be a layover on the way to his Bermuda. Does he hate Hartford? Is he expecting Bermuda? Will he fall in love with it? Who knows?
Or maybe he’s like me, just sitting in Harford’s gate but really waiting for Sarasota…
