Finding your Connection
I recently was starting a four day work trip. After being screened in the Known Crew Member line of security, I sat out to order a half-sweet raspberry mocha from my favorite coffee stand in my home base airport. After ordering my mocha I moved to the Pick-Up section of the counter, asked the barista to fill my water bottle full of ice, and waited for my order to be made.
While waiting, I looked over my shoulder to see two flight attendants with a legacy carrier after having their first layover in my base city. We exchanged pleasantries and began to chit chat about their newly earned contract, their impressions of their role as flight attendants, and what the remaining cities were on their schedule for that trip. All of our drinks were all finished at the same time, our names called, and drinks set on the counter. As we grabbed our drinks we shared departing pleasantries and ended our conversation with “fly safe.”
This conversation happens thousands of times a day at airports across the world. Flight attendants, pilots, ground crew, and other flying family recognize the wings or badges of a fellow flier and find an immediate connection that provides safety, understanding, and a sense of belonging. The faces always change but the feeling is always familiar - community. Flight professionals share the duties and responsibilities regardless of what color the planes are that they work inside of.
Having that immediate connection with others provides us with a sense of belonging, purpose, and comfort. As life hands us ups and downs it is those connections that help us when we struggle, celebrate when we achieve, mourn our losses, and live with us. That connection is what allows total strangers getting their coffee in the airport to offer their words of encouragement and well wishes with those two simple words, “fly safe.”
No matter where your journey takes you - at 35,000 feet or with two feet on the ground - healing often begins with connection: to ourselves, to others, and to the world around us. Taking a moment to reconnect can be the first step toward lasting well-being.