Comings and goings, goodbyes and hellos, greetings and driftings, arrivals and departures…an unending stream of lone or accompanied travelers, embarking or arriving from life’s journey.
“We part to meet and meet to part…” so they said, making life a series of partings and meetings. A never ending cycle consisting of the joys of welcoming and the sorrow of bidding farewell. Some rejoice at the birth of a child while others grieve the loss of a life.
Watching individuals drift through the lounges and lobbies of air and road ports, one cannot help but be moved. Here a man bids goodbye to his family, there a mother returns to an elated daughter. Over here grandparents welcome their grandchildren for the first time. There, a broken heart walks away leaving an invisible trail of sorrow. Around here waits an impatient man whose visitor is delayed by a couple of hours and over there is one who has become dejected for the wait has been too long, all hope of ever receiving the expected visitor is lost.
Observing all these travelers and receivers of visitors, life itself seems to be reminding one that like an air or road port lounge, things come and go. People come and go. Seasons come and go but regardless of where you find yourself, YOU remain. You endure the losses and gains life brings. You weather the storms of life and rejoice through the victories. Happy or sad, content or miserable, triumphant or defeated…you continue to survive. Survival may become easier or more difficult as a result of the comings and goings of events and people, but you do not cease to be. Whatever happens, the fact that you are alive does not alter. You simply begin to perceive your existence differently and the lenses through which you view life are ultimately tinted by your attitude.
Similar to the traveler, you could choose to rejoice in partings with the anticipation of meetings. You could choose to embrace the departures with the hope of arrivals. Rejoice in saying goodbye for the opportunity to say hello. Each event that comes and goes, preparing you for the next. Without the foundation of the past, one cannot have the formation of the present or the glory of the future. Embrace the journey and embrace your fellow traveler but above all, never cease to live life fully regardless of what air, sea or road port lounge you find yourself in.