Day 85: The Best of Times...The Worst of Times

"It was the best of times; it was the worst of times..." (Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities)

This morning I dropped my husband off at the airport after his first 48-hour visit home. 45 ½ of those hours were the best in our fourteen-year marriage. The last 2 ½ hours were more difficult than the day he left.

This morning when the alarm went off, I felt like Cinderella at the stroke of midnight. At 5 am I sat bold upright in bed, looked at my sleeping husband, and burst into tears at the thought of saying goodbye to him for the 6th time in three months.

Somehow, I managed to regain my composure long enough to get dressed and climb into our vehicle to make the hour and a half trip to the airport. Once there, we both fell apart.

Funny thing about airports—they are simultaneously the happiest and the saddest places on earth.

Saturday went I arrived at the airport I sent our thirteen-year-old son in to get my husband in order to avoid paying for parking. As I waited in our vehicle at the curb, I saw a younger man, probably in his mid to late twenties, emerge from the airport. Before he was able to walk ten feet, a pretty young gal came running to him and threw herself into his arms. As I surreptitiously observed their reunion, I surmised two things—that they had been separated for a very long time and that they loved each other very, very much.

When my husband emerged from the airport, I followed the young gals lead and threw myself into his arms for our own happy reunion. If you ever wish to witness pure, unbridled joy, spend some time in the arrivals area at an airport. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

But today was different, and as I followed my husband into the very same airport that two days prior had hosted our happy reunion, I was assaulted by an entirely different set of emotions. The panic and sadness that I had barely managed to tamp down at 5 am returned with a vengeance and had me in a full nelson before I new what hit me. I clung and I cried, but time was not on our side, and finally I had to turn and walk away from the man I love with tears streaming down my face, not daring to look back…

If you ever want to witness crushing heartbreak, spend some time in the departures area of an airport. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Today was like Day 1 all over again. Tomorrow will be better.