We were up early this morning, neither of us slept well at all. We picked up a friend who is keeping our truck so we don't have to pay for parking this week. Things went ok until I got to the TSA screeners. They were in such a hurry to get the AA passengers through that the screener running the machine didn't listen to the lady assisting me. She grabbed the tote with Jared in it and slid it down the belt hollering for secondary screening. I lost it. I broke down I said can't you be careful my son is in there. Rich is trying to get through to console me then another screener see what just happened. I went around the corner to get the anger to go away and gather myself. A really nice man then gently picked him up and asked me to go with him. He asked if I would like to go to a private room for the screening. I told him no but please be gentle. He was so loving and caring of Jared and gave me condolences. Rich had gotten hung up with his laptop and now we were back together. Protecting as always. ... she didn't know. She felt awful when she realized what she had done. She should I thought. The flight was inspirational. Something peaceful came over me and calmed me. We had a five hour layover in San Juan. I found that things that never bothered me before are driving me NUTS. Rude people, those that have group D boarding trying to board with group A, people who are clueless in the security lines. Contrary to that the things that used to bug me like over priced food and not having our boarding passes for the US Airways legs had no impact on me.
I was reading a book that Dr Marshall had loaned me while in flight to Charlotte. The flight attendant came by offering drinks and gently asked how I liked the book I was reading. I told her it helps. She explained her sister just lost her husband. I told her it would be ok that two weeks ago today we lost our 17 year old son and that he was at my feet. I explained we were taking him to the states for services. She was super sweet and continued to check on us the rest of the flight.
Our last leg was a special flight. I sat next to a lady on her way to Nashville for the first time. She explained her brother had suffered a stroke at just 52 years old. He was relocated by his company a year ago from New Jersey. We talked and she asked about my travels. After explaining it we held hands and prayed for healing for everyone Jared had touched and healing for her brother. She was a colored lady and spoke with a familiar dialect. She said she had t'ree sisters and her brother. I smiled and asked where she was from originally. She said they had moved from Guiana t'irty years ago as refugees. By the end of the flight we exchanged information. Another life touched by Jared. A prayer on a plane by two strangers grieving.
At the end we met up with my step son who I often refer to as our oldest, at the Nashville airport. He was waiting for us at the gate. He had flown in earlier today. Hugs and silence was shared. We got to luggage claim and met up with dear friends and exchanged more tears and hugs. As we got to our room I took Jared out of his bag and set him on the table. Now our friends and our oldest get time to grieve and to process what they are seeing. I know this week will be emotional and healing. Hug the ones you love, say hello or smile kindly to someone you don't. ... it might just have a bigger impact than you think.
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