The murmur of foreign languages engulfs your mind. The sound of luggage wheels rolling past reminds the subconscious mind of the countless numbers of taxis waiting outside to sweep you away to your next destination. Distantly there is a voice on the loudspeaker announcing the flights that are now boarding, but it's not yours. Not yet. Standing in line at security, it comes naturally what happens next. Shoes and jacket come off, grab all electronics out of your carry on, liquids go in the bin. Gently guide it into the x ray machine. The TSA agent directs you to stand in the metal detector, feet on the diagram and hands above your head. There is a familiar beep, and it is time to exit. Shoes go back on, and you keep putting one foot in front of the other.
On the way to the terminal, bright lights and flashy stores are trying to catch your attention in every direction. Advertisements are plastered everywhere for items that most people will probably never need. The air starts to get a little more stuffy, and the crowds more dense. You have to dodge the foot traffic like cars during New York rush hour. Finally arriving at your terminal, a sigh of relief is let out as you find a seat and plop down. With your carry-on as a footrest and your sweatshirt as a blanket, it’s one of the best times of the travel day. It is time to pull out your book and get lost in that story, whatever it may be. It is time to get so lost in it, that you don’t even hear them calling your boarding group. Eventually you realize the people all around you are standing to line up. A little frazzled, you get your items together and get pulled back to reality. A reality that it is time to create your own story so amazing that you get lost in that as well.
Walking down that dully lit, badly carpeted hallway, butterflies start rapidly flapping their wings inside the lining of your stomach. Not from anxiety or fear of flying, but excitement to explore new places and see new things. The height of this excitement comes right after you do the awkward dance of getting your carry-on stowed away in the overhead cabinets. Then, while sitting in that stiff and probably dirty seat, there is a moment. A moment when you realize and appreciate the gravity of the situation. The world is constantly moving and changing. The people in it are as well. Each individual sitting around you has a story, likely much different from your own. This is a place where people from all walks of life gather. Airports brings us together and remind us the world isn't really as big as we think.
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