Airports

Airports are a strange experience; they are unlike any other social setting that humans endure. Even in the most crowded of cities, you’re at least tied to the same geographical area as the people you pass. But, in an airport, you are not tethered in the same way. Each moment is truly fleeting. A half-second of eye contact, a brush of elbows, a faint shadow of a smile. Hundreds of micro-interactions with hundreds of perfect strangers. Who are they? Where are they all going? That nice old man who complimented your hat, the pretty girl with the blue eyes sitting across from you, the small child playing with his new toy. You’ll never see any of them again. It’s sad, in a way. What if they could be a new friend? An avenue for a new job? The love of your life? Sure, you exchange pleasantries, you say all of the things that you are supposed to say in those situations—but what if there was more? Each one of these interactions is with a real, living person. Each one of them has a story to tell. A starting point and a destination. A beginning and an end. Where were they born? How many siblings do they have? Do they like fish? What are they afraid of? How will they die? Are they a good person? Will they go to heaven? You’ll never know. In a few hours, they will be a thousand miles away and your half-second glance will be all you ever know of them. It’s sad, really. But, then again, sometimes that faint half shadow of a smile is enough. A tacit acknowledgement that, in another place and in another time, things may have been different. But, for now, things are fleeting. Cherish them. Don’t ignore them or forget them. Remember every smile, every meeting of eyes, every safe joke and every bout of small talk. Enough collected fleeting moments add up to an entire lifetime of experiences. These aren’t missed connections, they’re made connections, no matter how fast or small. Enjoy them. Embrace them. Love them. Just don’t miss your flight.