The pit of bright stars gazing against a pitch black sky in rural Vermont; the summer nights of skinny-dipping in the Atlantic ocean; the waves hugging the edge of the boat as it cycles around the perimeter of Capri; the pink tinge post-sunset on the tallest buildings in Florence; the reflection of the moon against the still pool waters on the rooftop of a hostel in Barcelona.
Every airport has a soul characterized by the people who walk to and from the departure gates with clouds of excitement pooling in wandering eyes. Whether it’s the anticipation of an impending adventure or the reflection of the most recent journey, experiences roll off travelers like a scent and absorb into the soul of an airport. These experiences marinate into the airport for years until the atmosphere is dense with wanderlust.
This soul is present upon immediate entry into the airport. It doesn’t take long to feel the energy, which is almost tangible as travelers check luggage and obtain boarding passes. There’s a magnetic energy inside that attracts stories from the millions of travelers who walked among the same departure gates and collects every unique experience to add to the soul.
All of the past experiences of these unnamed travelers curate a soul charged with curiosity and wonder, deep-rooted excitement with a touch of nerves. In the same breath that one prepares to step foot into a brand new place, another completes a journey that’s added permanently to their repertoire of life experiences. Whether returning from witnessing the post-sunset tinge of pink reflected on the tallest Florentine buildings or catching a flight back home to Vermont, airports absorb these unique experiences.
This is why airports are a magical place. Far from a “burdening yet necessary” aspect of travel, walking the halls of an airport should be regarded as part of the trip itself.
Next time you find yourself in an airport, deviate from your routine and take ten minutes to people watch. Search the eyes of passerbyers for excitement, listen closely for childlike wonder in their words, and notice their overall demeanor. Absorb the energy from all around you and match it.
In the same breath that the TSA agent announces your boarding group, inhale. Share the breath of thousands of wanderers, past and present.
And prepare for takeoff.