Home

Home is where the heart is.

So incredibly cliche, but for me right now, it is so incredibly true.

My journey home felt like an odyssey of sorts.  Let me explain why.  I had a smooth flight from Madrid to Newark, NJ - we landed early and customs was a breeze.  My luggage even got there safely - first miracle of the day!  I transferred terminals just fine and got through security without a problem.  Then came the hurdles.  My flight back home got cancelled which threw me into momentary panic as I have never in my life had a flight cancelled.  Thankfully, with my father's lessons in sweet-talking and my naturally sweet demeanor (hehe), I was able to be put on a flight home scheduled two hours later, and put into first class for no extra charge!  That was definitely a "Thank you God" moment, the second little miracle of the day. 

But then, of course, that flight got delayed an additional 6 hours.  What was I supposed to do with myself for 6 hours?  How was I supposed to stay AWAKE?!  Well, since 25 other flights were cancelled that day, I decided to interact with my fellow travelers and hear their stories.  One of the most fascinating experiences a human being could ever have, besides feeling like a minority, is to become fully aware of the fact that everyone, every one of the over 6 billion people in this world, has a story.  The airport is the perfect place to discover a mulitude of stories.  I met a family from Knoxville, TN flying home after they went on a relaxing European vacation.  I met a lady from Oxford, OH who has a farm and we exchanged tomato sauce recipes and learned a thing or two from each other.  I met a girl from Northern Ohio about to start her 5th year of college with a fiance and is as busy as ever, but she helped me stay awake in those late hours right before my flight took off (at 12:30 am)!! 

One of my favorites to meet was a worker at the newstand who saw me come through three times as my flight status kept changing.  She put on a blank face with everyone else, but for some reason her face would light up as I came to buy my snack, then my magazine, and then some further hydration as my flight got further delayed.  I think it was because I actually looked her in the eye and talked to her.  She had the most beautiful laugh.  I wish people would stop more and talk to the people helping them out, you know?  That laugh, as well as the kindess in those people I met, were the most lovely miracles in my day.  They helped me through my anxiousness and allowed me to stay awake through it all.  I got home at 2am EST to tired but very happy parents all the same. 

Now I'm home and absolutely relishing in some much-needed me-time.  This is the beginning of harvest time for my family's garden, so the taste of home-grown vegetables is simply divine for me.  Yes, I am about to embark on further responsibilities such as my thesis, taking the GRE and further researching grad schools, but for now spending time with my family is all I really need.