Airports

Airports are an interesting thing. What once used to be such a happy place filled with laughter, screams of excitement and a sense of adventure has tuned into a dull, serious and very rigid activity. One of my favorite movies is Love Actually. I am fascinated by their view on love and the ability to find it almost anywhere. One of those places, if you remember, was the arrivals gate at the airport. I do remember past happy times at the arrival gate. But now, there is no greeting. There is no sound of laughing and joyful screams as I get off the plane – signifying that I am home. I have to walk through the airport, wait for a grab my luggage, and then walk to the curb. When I get out there whoever has come to pick me up cannot even get out of the car because they will get a ticket if they sit on the curb too long. They pop the trunk and I throw my junk in. Then I get into the car, get a quick squeeze around the shoulder “welcome home” and that’s it. All that time away, all that flying, and the climax is so uneventful.
I am not saying anything can or will (or even should) change, I understand the importance of heightened security – I’m just saying it has been sad to watch the change. Coming home isn’t what it used to be.