Is That How People Love?

Airports. You can see an awful lot in airports. You can peer deep into the human condition whilst on a layover in a busy city airport.

I spend way too much time in airports.








Most of the time I see lovely and heartfelt moments...



People in love who run to each other and embrace after a long absence.

Teenagers venturing out into the wide world of independence.

Dogs high on canine downers.
 


Great Grandmas embarking on new adventures...eventhough they are frightened.

But this morning I witnessed something that truly bothered me to my very core. And it made me wonder --

Is that how people love? 

I was waiting for my very early morning flight to work when I heard a final boarding call for 2 people for the departing plane next to my gate.

Bummer.

Mere minutes later, a couple came rushing down the escalator from the security area to the gate. They were out of breath, in their late 50's to early 60's, and obviously in a hurry to catch their plane.

They were two minutes too late.

I heard the woman plead with the airline counter lady that she HAD to board the plane and something about missing a connecting flight to Hawaii. Then I heard the airline counter lady say something about being sorry and the flight being closed.

Then it happened. The woman started crying.

At first, the crying didn't phase me. I mean, afterall. It's just a missed flight. Airline counter ladies know how to handle this. Things will be taken care of. The couple will get to Hawaii. But then I heard the woman cry harder and sob to her husband,

I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! 

And she wasn't merely apologizing. She sounded as though she had caused her husband insurmountable pain and near death. Words cannot describe the sheer pain in her every sob. The more she sobbed uncontrollably, the more her husband became curt with her. He spoke to her in a very angry manner...yet quietly. I sensed a great deal of contempt in his voice, in his eyes, as he spoke to his crying wife. His lips curled. Condescending.

And as she sobbed, the only words that escaped her trembling lips were,

I'm sorry. 

I should have left earlier. 

I'm sorry I got stuck at security. 

I'm sorry that I cost you so much money. 

I'm sorry. 

I'm so very sorry. 

Granted, I don't know the full story. And I could be imagining all of this based on my own personal history. But I know that feeling. That feeling when emotions overtake you out of humiliation in front of your partner. That feeling like you can't do right by the one you love. The feeling like you can't do ANYTHING right, for that matter. The feeling like no matter what you do, the one you love will resent you for it.

But that can't be right. That can't be how people are supposed to love.

I'd hope that if ever I were faced with that situation myself that the person I chose as my mate would love me as I need to be loved. My husband would love me enough to know that I'm a procrastinator. He'd secretly set my clock 15 minutes ahead so I'd wake up on time. He'd help me get prepared the night before with my liquids in a zip lock baggie. He'd drive us to the airport with way more time than we'd ever need because he knows I don't move so fast in the early hours of the morning. He'd help me plan and TOGETHER we'd make our flight and our dream vacation a reality.

Of course, I'd help him ditch the plans once we were on the beach and have the absolute time of his life! I'd lavish him with spontaneity! I'd make him laugh 'til he cried! I'd rub his forehead while we lay on the white sand. I'd kiss him and hold his hand. I'd buy him a hideous Hawaiian shirt.

And if I screwed up, he wouldn't see it that way. He'd see that I was human...just like him. Just like everyone else in the world.

And if we missed our flight, we'd miss it together. He'd take my hand, wipe my tear from my cheek, look lovingly into my eyes, smile tenderly and say,

There, there dear. The airport counter lady will take care of us. It's not the end of the world. As long as we're by each other's side, we can overcome any sort of hiccup life belches our way. 

Now that's how people love, right?

Ah well...if that only happens in LaLa land where unicorns roam...

    Then I'll just continue to fly solo.