My Jet Plane Is Back

Well, I am sure that most of you have been on pins and needles since my last post just wondering if I made it home safe.

I had a wonderful week in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina for work. I should clarify: things are always good once I get to my destination. I love my job, and I always love the time I get to spend with my co-workers. Not only because we all work well together, but because it is the nice change-up from my typical days working from home by myself. It is just the getting there that can sometimes be anxiety-filled.

Best rest assured, I made it home safe and sound. It was not without a few mishaps, a delayed flight, and a run through the airport, but other than that, it was relatively smooth sailing. So thanks for the prayers and encouragement as I made my way to North Carolina by way of 35,000 feet. It was felt and much appreciated. Despite the smooth sailing, I did come away with a story:

I was sitting in the gate area waiting to board the plane. As I sat there reading my book and "minding my own business," the lady came on overhead announcing that the plane was too small to fit rolling bags in the overhead bins (side note: this typically means prop plans, which are not my favorite, but this time I was lucky that the plane was just small). Anyway, we were told to please check any rolling bags at the gate and to remove any items we needed from the bags, as well as lithium batteries for safety reasons (can anyone explain why lithium batteries are a safety hazard underneath the plane but not in the cabin-this has always confused me and slightly terrified me) (also, who carries lithium batteries on a plane anyway….I digress…..)

Luckily, I had already checked my bag at the previous gate. But those around me started unloading things from their rolling bags (such as medicines and stock piles of lithium batteries) that they didn't want to go under the plane. Thus began my people watching. In addition to my neo-flight anxiety, frequent traveling has also given me a new affinity for people watching in the airport. Yes, I am the girl that stares (actually I have always been the girl that stares and mom would always say, "Amy don't stare," but we will blame it on the frequent traveling as of late). But honestly, people fascinate me and sometimes do the oddest things in public places. And I am of the impression that you can't miss a beat because as Dad always says, "Stories are all around you." Boy isn't that true. So I stare.

Anyway, the couple sitting across from me gained my attention. They starting pulling all sorts of things out of their rolling bag, like medicines (they literally had enough to fill an entire pharmacy), books, and even a purple plastic bin. I wondered how that fit in the rolling bag small enough to fit in the overheard bin in the first place, but that is neither here nor there. It was in this moment when the man said to the woman, "Will you hand me my purse?" And said wife reached inside her carry-on bag, pulled out a purse, and handed it to him. And he put it on like a purse (a cross-body purse if you must know). And I stared, slightly in amazement and slightly in shock and slightly in embarrassment for him. Now, I have heard about a man carrying a murse (man bag for those of you that are behind), but this was not such item. A murse is almost like a satchel, a book bag, a laptop case, or even a briefcase. And most men who carry a murse call it a "bag." And carry it as such. And that is completely normal for a man to have a bag or satchel. Nothing odd about that.

Not this bag. And not this man. He called his bag a purse and wore it like one. And did it unashamedly. As if it were completely normal for a man to call his "bag" a purse and wear it as one. I kept wanting to say, "It's a bag!!! Please call it a bag! Wear it however you want, but call it a bag!!!!!" No such luck. But hats off to him….I actually admire his confidence and ability to be comfortable in his own skin…despite societal norms….

So, there is my story of the man that carried a purse and called it such and wore it as such. And did so proudly in gate D18 of the Atlanta Airport.

See…traveling isn't all about anxiety. It can be fun too….and funny…and enlightening…and if nothing else, it gives me something to write about on this blog…because stories are all around you….

Until next time be blessed…….