Posts
Here she is, just as I promised.
Isn't
she lovely? Look at that smile, those friendly eyes, and that gorgeous
natural silver hair. (My dad refers to his as platinum blond.)
When I first spotted her, she was walking in the opposite direction way across the concourse in the Chicago airport. I did a double-take. Hey! That's the same kind of naturally gorgeous silver locks I'm trying to cultivate!
Then the battle:
Should I track her down and tell her I like her hair?
Don't
be silly. Walking up to a stranger in the middle of the Chicago airport
on a Thursday just to tell her you love her silver strands is ludicrous. We do not do ludicrous.
Oh, okay.
So I steered myself back to my gate, stuffed my ears with earbuds, and listened to Switchfoot's Gone. Tried to concentrate on blending in to my chair. But on my second time through the song, when they got to the part that says, "She believes in living bigger, bigger than she's living now," I hoisted myself off the plastic and went in search of that particular silver-haired woman. In the midst of a swarm of hundreds.
Against many odds, I finally found her in the food court. She looked so pleasant that introducing myself and telling her I loved her hair wasn't so hard after all. Although I was nervous and didn't learn as much as if I'd been a braver version of myself, I did learn these things:
- Ruth and her husband Dave raised their three kids in Chicago. Since Dave is self-employed, they decided to cut loose seven years ago and make a move based on pure fun.
- So they up and moved to a little town called Norway, Maine, and bought a house with three acres on a lake.
- Their kids thought they were crazy.
- Ruth and Dave are having the time of their lives.
What if I hadn't renounced my airport chair and gone in search of the silver-haired lady? I would have been fine, but I also would have missed out on exercising my brave muscles. Even worse, I would have missed inspiration in the flesh. I'm so glad I did it. Even if it took me a year to tell you about it.
How about you? Do you have an "airport chair" you need to break up with? Think what you could be missing!
10 comments:
The day you found me to tell me (a complete stranger!) you were praying for me absolutely changed my life. Keep going out on a limb. The Holy Spirit loves people who are willing to take a little risk sometimes :)
-Wendy
Oh, Wendy! How quickly we forget that out on the limb is where the fruit is! Thank you so much for the reminder. My life is richer for tracking you down as a stranger. :)
And the day you told the man checking out the rental you were currently in that you wanted to meet his wife who was moving there cross-country changed my life too! I've been so blessed by your friendship over the years I'm glad you found me! thanks for reaching out!
Well done, my friend! Thank you for your transparency and inspiration!
Melanie, I am the changed and blessed one! I'm seeing a pattern here... :)
Thank you, Kendra. :)
Mrs. Beers, your courage to have this blog and share your life is incredible. And yes, better late than never. Going through my own release of my "airport chair" with our family choices right now. I feel like God is telling us to be reckless for Him...you know the song...by Jeremy Camp. I so appreciate the lyrics and how they represent what, I believe, is so true- being willing to let go of our life and the things of this world for Him and His glory.
Last week on a cruise,my husband and I sat at the next table for a couple from Fargo, N.D. When they heard our "American accent," they immediately struck up a conversation. I'm particularly bad with names and am trying to improve, so when she told me her name, I made a real effort to retain it. On the last day of the cruise, I happened to meet here again in the elevator (with 8,000 people on board)and called her by name. She was very surprised I remembered her AND her name. Maybe there is hope for me after all!
Great, Sally! And I bet you made that woman's day. It feels great to have people KNOW you and remember your "you-ness" and not just think of you as "one in eight thousand."
Catlett-Mommie, thank you for your comments! I'd love to hear (in person) from you about what it looks like for your family to give up your "airport chairs." Track me down at church sometime!
Post a Comment