Going Again!

Navigating international travel is a constellation of boredom and curiosity. The flights are long and the wait between connecting flights only amplifies the biological confusion over time zones. The sun may be at its noon-day high in Frankfurt but my body thinks it is 2 am in Berkeley.

As I wait for the extra special security scrutiny that comes with my connecting flight to Israel, I am sitting across for Germany's version of TSA. The lines are shorter and the staff seem to have a concierge approach to helping people figure out what to do. They smile, engage, and for their 4-5 minute encounter, they truly help each traveler.  I watched them graciously help people unpack their carry on luggage to remove things for the scanners. They do not act at all like our American TSA power mongers who treat our internationals derisively for not understanding the signs.

One of the reasons I love to travel is that it assumes surprise.

At SFO, I discovered I was on the same plane with good friends from the Bay Area.  The Reimers are on sabbatical this year in Germany. I know it is cliche but the world is seems much smaller the older I get.

Travel breaks up the tedious soil of daily rhythms.  Exploring places and people that see the world through a different lens opens the heart to new ways of living and loving. It bids space for grace. The invitation to return and revisit allows the those graces to deepen.

Today as I vacation in a place that has become a rich residence of joy to me, I can't but be excited by the adventure of it all.