SAN DIEGO AIRPORT

I love people watching, and the airport is a perfect place to do so. I am sitting on the floor, in the hallway, across from gate 38 at the San Deigo airport. We leave in about an hour, an so far the flight is one time. We were a little worried, wondering where this flight originated, because of all the snow and wind in the midwest. The news this morning showed that the winds were much calmer today than yesterday, so hopefully we'll have a good, smooth, calm, peaceful, steady, non-turbulent flight, and will arrive on time in MSP and not have to circle the airport while they plow the runways. Have I mentioned that I don't like flying? Well, I don't.

A little girl just skipped down the hallway, hair in a spikey bouncy tail on top of her head like Pebbles on the Flintstones. She was maybe two, dressed in white pants with a velvet pink shirt that had sparklies on it to match the pink sparkly ribbon in her hair. Her brother was probably a year older, and was dressed in tan pants and an athletic shirt, both looking brand new. The mom was a skinny little thing, probably no more than 110 pounds, and dressed fashionably in tight jeans and spike heels. I'm guessing they were going to grandma's house, wherever that may be. And I'm guessing that grandma is anxiously waiting for their arrival.

The walls along the hallway are lined with people on computers, people with DVD players, and people recharging any number of types of electronic equipment. Some people are just stretched out on the hard tile floor, oblivious to the crowds passing by them as they are plugged into their iPods or MP3 players. I see a soldier carrying his Army green duffel bag and a hanging garment bag. I wonder if that hanging bag contains his dress uniform. And I wonder if he's bringing it along so he can wear it to Christmas Day services at his home church, sitting in a familiar pew, between his proud parents who are beaming from ear to ear.

I see a large family group standing right in front of me. There are three generations gathered there, chatting and laughing and seemingly trying to decide where they should go to wait for their flight. I wonder if it's a dream trip. I wonder if they're taking a Christmas trip to create memories for the kids of traveling with grandma and grandpa. I wonder if everyone is in good health and if this is their last trip together, or if this is a yearly tradition.

Here comes a dad, pushing a stroller loaded with winter jackets, and kids backpacks, while the kids are walking along next to him. Now I wonder, where is mom? Is she in the restroom? Or are she and the dad no longer living together. Does he "have" the kids just for the holidays? If so, what is mom going to do with out the kids? Or is mom out of the picture and is he a full time dad?

So many people. So many questions. And such a sore butt from sitting on the hard, cold, tile floor. I am signing off with a Happy Christmas Eve to you all, and I'll update later this evening from our motel room.