Looking Back, Looking Forward

Thirteen years ago this very day I was on a plane, traveling east. I’d gotten the call from daughter Carmel that she was in labor and preparing, with her partner Jess, for the birth of their first child. As planned, I hurriedly searched for the best last-minute airfare, kissed my family goodbye, and hopped on the Airporter Shuttle to SeaTac.

When changing planes, probably somewhere in the Midwest, I had enough time to find a pay phone (remember those?) and I learned that my first grandchild had entered this world. And in a few more hours I was sitting in the living room of their little house in Charleston, South Carolina, looking into his eyes. I was filled with love and gratitude.

Today, I’m sitting at SeaTac, with a bit of time to kill. There were no co-workers to touch base with before leaving town, and Peter was the only family member to kiss goodbye. This is a trip I’ve been planning for over a year. I originally thought it would be two of us going, but it turns out that it will be a solo trip. I’ve had some time to adjust to that concept, and the prospect is now before me like a big package, waiting to be opened.