Thinking Out Loud, Volume CCCXCIX

There's just something about families that I love. It warms my heart to see mom, dad, and kids laughing and joking with each other, having a good time together. It reminds me of my own family. We're a long way from being perfect, but we love and respect each other, and through good times and bad, we stand together. Therefore, when I see other families who are obviously happy to be all together and appear to be having a great time, it grabs my attention. They may even be experiencing pain, but just having everyone together seems to work as a sedative that gives temporary relief from the hurt. Such was the case that I witnessed this morning as I stood in line to go through security at LAX Airport in Los Angeles. The parents appeared to be in their early forties, and the two daughters were eighteen and thirteen respectively. The mom was gorgeous, with dark skin and jet black hair, while the dad was tall and well built with a fair complexion. The daughters were obviously products of that union; the older one looking more like dad and the younger one was "mom made over." Both daughters were fashionably dressed in comfortable, casual traveling clothes, and I couldn't help but notice the cute little straw hat being worn by the thirteen year old. Judging from appearances, they seemed to have it all together....the perfect family. Security personnel were moving travelers forward in small groups, and I was included in the group with that nice family...just them and me, so that's the reason I was able to hear the conversation between them and the TSA agent. At first he asked each of the girls their ages so he could determine if they would be required to remove their shoes. As he was checking the identification of each parent, the conversation went like this: TSA Agent: So you folks are on your way to Hawaii? Mom: Yes, we're finally getting to go. TSA Agent: I guess Dad gets to pay for this trip, huh? Mom: No, Make A Wish Foundation is picking up the tab on this one. When I heard those words, it was almost like someone had just hit me in the pit of my stomach. This was likely to be someone's last major trip, so I looked them over a little closer and determined that it was the younger daughter. And sometimes I think life is not treating ME fairly! I looked back at that beautiful family and thought, "How can this be? They all seem so happy." After I'd had a moment to recover, I remembered that this is a family, and that's what families do. They had apparently made the decision that this is going to be a fun trip, and if it is going to be the last trip for them as as they are now, it is going to be a good one. For that lovely family, there has to be both pain and a sense of dread that is constantly in the back of their minds, but there's something about family and togetherness that brings them a sense of peace and comfort. I hope neither you nor I ever have to deal with the type situation that this family is facing, but if we do, with the combination of our faith in God and the support from our families, we can weather the storm. Without a miracle, the family I met this morning will soon be experiencing a time of tears and sadness that seems almost too great to bear, but in the brief time I was privileged to spend with them this morning, I concluded that they will face this crisis as a team, and they'll make it through. It won't be easy...in fact, it will be extremely tough, but they are gonna be fine. They have each other. Preston