I feel this certain level of kinship towards flight attendants. It could come out of my overwhelming thankfulness that they are serving me and are making my adventures possible. But I think, in reality, it is because they are just like me. Floating among borders. Making their home in the in-between. Never fully in one place, they, in themselves, are in their own timezone. But the result of this displacement is not just physical jet-lag. With every flight, you stretch your sense of belonging into something deeper than political borders.
When I am on land I spend most of my time thinking of how something is not quite right. When you have dual citizenship you cannot wholly have patriotic attachment nor can you claim to feel completely at home. When asked if I consider myself more American or New Zealander? How can you compare? Yes, I can analyze the majority of cultural influence and my accent and skin tone. But as a global soul, I cannot describe myself in either/or terms. My life is a paradox. That means the definition of my culture is more accurately a both/and factor. The third definition “paradox” shows it is “a situation, person, or thing that combines contradictory features or qualities.” So in a world where we like having control of our definitions and enjoy uncomplicated descriptions, when someone like me is asked where they are from? You must be willing to hear to a story. Or else you will not understand.
When I am in the air, I know something is not quite right, because obviously I am separated from those I love. But I am finally physically experiencing the in-between that I emotionally feel on land. So these hours of oddly glorious belonging ensue because no one expects definitions. I am a traveler, I had a departure gate, and I have a destination. And whichever country I fly into, I have the capability to make it home. What makes it home is not the landscape, but the relationships that I am able to build. And when you are not afraid of separation, your airplane’s destination will always hold someone you love. I am endlessly, endlessly saying goodbye but I am forever and always saying hello. Love will overcome separation.
So after a flight, I shuffle down the aisles and flash a big grin to the flight attendants. Most of them probably can define their original hometown and where they are from. Though, flight attendants cannot explain the location where they work. And that is like me. After a childhood of attempting to define myself in earthly terms, I had to give up. My home seemed to be everywhere and nowhere. But, truly, what gave me belonging? The presence of God and my relationship with him. My genuine home therefore is to dwell with him. Yes, Heaven. And right now? I am in my workplace. I cannot explain to you where on the globe my job is, because it’s not set in one nation. So, just like a flight attendant, I can only explain my employer. Rather than United Airlines or Air New Zealand or Qantas. . . He is the maker of heaven and earth, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I will go where he takes me. What a glorious adventure!
