Disruption

This morning, before the first leg of my journey, it felt like I was leaving for a quick vacation. After all, I’m traveling with a carry-on and backpack for this 8-week overseas trip. Even though the house is ready for others to move in and my work email deactivated, I still struggled to believe I would be gone for 3 ½ months. Today felt no different from yesterday. 

But hoping on the plane, I sensed God was interrupting my “normal.” Perhaps it was today’s text from a friend connecting me with her friends in Switzerland. Or after posting my sabbatical schedule on Facebook, I discovered that multiple friends will be singing at a concert I’m attending in Munich. Maybe it was the reaction of my Boston-bound seatmate when she found out where I was headed. Or the quick conversation I had in Arabic with one of the Delta folks in Boston. Already, I sensed that this would not be a typical trip away. 

In all the hubbub of preparing for this sabbatical, I wanted – no needed – some quiet for my mind and soul. I figured that would come later when driving through the German countryside. I wasn’t anticipating the flight to Amsterdam to feel like a contemplative worship space, but that flight was the quietest I’ve ever experienced. No one on the flight talked – ever. Even when we landed, people only gestured when letting others out row by row. 

The layover was eye-opening as well. In Amsterdam, few people were glued to their phones. Everywhere, traveling companions were quietly playing cards and other board games as they waited for their flights. I stopped to watch the sunrise in the stillness of the terminal. When has waiting in an airport even been a spiritual experience? It was for me. 

Landing in Glasgow, a chilly drizzle woke up my jet-lagged body. The smell of damp grass and manure assaulted my senses. At my airport hotel, I had the hardest time understanding the Scottish brogue. Instead of sleeping, I discovered that my long-serving European electric adapter had failed. UG! 

Most of us dislike interruptions and disruptions, but today, it helped me break out of my routine. The lilt of accented English reminded me that the world is bigger than American politics. Cultural differences invited reflections on diversity. Eating the best salmon in the world here in Glasgow whetted my appetite for adventure and new experiences. 

 I’m grateful that God provided just what I needed to start this journey.