Cri Ensemble

A few days ago I stood like many other days at the counter. The lines had calmed down, nobody was waiting. I was looking down at my screen when a women approached. Our normal response is to spew out sometimes robotic words…Did someone call you up? You have a boarding pass?

But before I could utter a single word she simply said in a soft voice, “Can you help me…please?”

As she spoke I looked up at her tears and immediately stared into a face of pain. I let her continue and only got these very basic facts. She was flying alone to Tel Aviv to rush to her daughter’s side who was intensive care. Her reason for approaching me instead of using the kiosk was pretty simple. She was too distraught to concentrate.

My heart softened. I know I was born to comfort people. My nature and that is when I am called upon in time of need, I respond with great compassion. I can be the most confused soul when confronted with my own desires and needs but when someone needs me—I become another person. I gave this woman my full attention and checked her in as quickly and quietly as possible. Took her bag. Tried to calm her.

What I chose to tell her was what she needed, “You are doing the most you can, right here, right now; the distance you have no control over.” She nodded and became quiet for just a few seconds.

The last thing I did was give her a few instructions and told her I was so sorry to hear this story.

Then she uttered the thing that shook my soul. “She’s only twenty.”

Just typing that out makes me pause once more.

It was as if someone was guiding her to tell me that fact. Then my own eyes filled with tears and I had a hard time speaking.

All I could say was, “My daughter is also…twenty”. When I uttered those words my mind flashed a hundred frames per second to my own daughter’s struggle, and the deep pain from it over the last year, all the yet unresolved problems, pain, and deep love I have for my child. And it wasn’t simply because I could now relate to her, but it was the humbling way this situation made me ashamed. There is always someone else who is in worse trouble than you are.

Before I sent her to her gate, I asked if I could walk around in front of the counter where she stood. She sadly nodded appreciatively.

I put my arms around her and can’t remember exactly what I said, some lame words like, “May I give you some support from the airline you are traveling with today? Something an ad writer would think too schmaltzy.

I do remember telling her, “I am so sorry……..” and then the poor woman began to sob on my shoulder.
Her tears made my shoulder wet for an hour. I have never been so moved.

Thoughts of her remained the entire day. I made a Photoshop creation above in memory of her later changing it to something more updated.

I will always wonder…..what the outcome was.