You would think a stop, a pause in travel would be restful, and I guess sometimes it can be, but if you’ve been on a layover in an airport, then you know it’s an uncomfortable place to be.
Sometimes it can be crowded with too many people, too much worry. How long will I be waiting for my next flight to take me closer to where I want to be? Will I be able to survive on what little money I have? Where will I lay my head? Will I even sleep at all?
Being in a layover can be an uncomfortable place of worry and longing, but it can also be a place of renewal, growth, and friendship.
Layovers rarely happen alone. If a plane is grounded, look around. You’re not the only one stranded. There are other weary travels just like you. You just have to take your eyes off yourself and make an effort to see them. Or you can choose to close yourself off to those around you, thinking it’s not worth engaging in conversation. Maybe you truly are weary and don’t have the energy to reach out. It’s okay to close your eyes for a while, but when you’re rested, you have a choice. You can choose to step out of your world into the lives of others, offering companionship, hope, encouragement, or you can sulk in the corner and worry about things that are beyond your control.
If you choose to look outside your circumstances and reorient yourself from your destination to your present by engaging in the lives around you, you’ll find that the layover doesn’t last as long as you thought. And you might just help someone on their journey. And maybe, just maybe, they might help you get closer to your final destination.
Where are you on your journey and who have you helped (or helped you) along the way?