Ordinary Time: W is for waiting, welcoming, and watching

For the fourth time in the past week, I’m in the air again. My two week Covid bout in July resulted in a slew of rescheduling. The last two weeks of August, which were planned as quiet, are now full of appointments and travel.

This trip is my rescheduled July trip to Oregon for the second leg of the Percy Jackson trip (Chicago and St. Louis) with my grandson, Austin. But more on that in another blog. The bonus of the rescheduled trip is that I will get to be with my son for his birthday.

I’ve been up since before 3 AM for my 6 AM flight.

I was at the airport a little after 4 AM, a time when many service people work while others still sleep.

There was no coffee to be found until 5 AM, and I waited in the airport chapel.

The only sounds I heard were suitcase wheels rolling down the terminal halls. As I read the morning scriptures and prayed, another early flyer came into the chapel and kneeled in prayer.

Waiting.

A friend had given me a Starbucks card, and I was the first to be served when the store opened.

I boarded my flight, and was welcomed by friendly United crew and my seat mate who hoisted my bag into the overhead bin and then took it down at the end of the flight, volunteering to do both.

Welcoming.

I had gotten so busy getting ready to leave last evening that I had completely forgotten to look for the blue moon. What a gift to be welcomed by it outside my window and to be able to watch it the entire flight to San Francisco, from night sky, through sunrise, until it faded with daylight.

Watching.