I was on my flight home from a very long week, in meetings and trainings in Houston, Texas. I had been there 4 days and the days ran 10+ hours. I’m on “another level exhaustion” and it feels as if all my senses are heightened as I press on to get home.

I found my seat, sat back, and closed my eyes. I listened to the coo’s of a baby 3 seats back to my right. I couldn’t help but glance back, loving this innocent sound of pure happiness, and the mommy looked at me with eyes tired and wide. She seemed to blush in embarrassment and I just smiled and nodded at the little Boy happily bouncing in her lap. I think as moms we both knew. I haven’t heard a baby coo like that in a long time. Then I could hear the cartoons playing.. Happiness of the purest kind.. and the most beautiful sound to a mothers heart.

I was heading to my terminal for my next flight. Walking slow since I had plenty of time and feeling very lethargic. I noticed an elderly woman sitting down, on the phone. Her legs were crossed and her hand was over her mouth. She was holding the phone so close to her face and her other hand was placed over her ear. She was leaning in as if to hear better. Across from her sat an elderly man with the most intense look of sorrow on his face. He was leaned in, hand on her knee the other holding the side of the chair as if to brace himself. His eyes fixed hard on her face.

The look on the woman’s face mirrored his, traumatic pain. My heart broke. I know the expression,. I’ve seen that look on my husband’s face many times looking back at me screaming in that pain for which he can’t fix..feeling helpless. I could honestly feel the pain in my chest and had to immediately look away.. Grief.. some kind of loss..

When I looked back to where I was going I couldn’t believe what was happening. I looked straight at a man and woman to my left rushing past me. They both had heads held high shoulders back and were hand in hand and their eyes red and wide, faces pale. Terror. Maybe shock..

I could feel it, in my heart for them too. I’m writing this “play by play” so I do not forget. It’s a bizarre feeling, I feel it so deeply when I recognize the expressions, the body language, the look in these peoples eyes. The feeling of pure happiness at the sound of a baby cooing and the unmeasurable love in her mothers eyes too. Getting off the plane I looked back at that jubilant baby and he laughed at me!! I guesstimate, 10-13 months of pure innocence.

What will happen from Dallas to Montgomery!?!

On the plane and y’all ain’t gonna believe this!!!

A baby is to my right front… cooing.

Just wow.