An Interesting Day at the Airport.

I love a good airport scene in movies. From Casablanca to Love Actually, there is just something about saying goodbye or celebrating a hello in an actual place of transition. Last week, when I visited my friend, Jennifer, in DC I had my very own airport moment, but it was unlike anything I'd ever seen in the movies.

I was sitting at my gate, minding my own business, writing emails, etc. when I saw a woman in a security uniform moving gate to gate making an announcement. "Hello everyone! If you're not about to board your plane, we would greatly appreciate it if you would all come to Gate 1. An Honor Flight of WWII Vets will be arriving any minute now. There will be patriotic music playing, and when they land, they will have a water salute. We'd appreciate it if you would all make a tunnel, shake their hands and thank them for their service to our country."

Everyone started shuffling things - books, magazines, and computers all put away - and like ants on a deserted picnic, a moving blanket of people crowded around Gate One. And sure enough, as they landed, two firetrucks sprayed a massive arch over the plane (which I found out later they only do for Vets and retired pilots). Next thing I knew, I was lining up with people I'd never seen in my life. Loud patriotic music began to play as businessmen, children, honeymooners, and men and women in active duty waited with anticipation for the Gate door to open.  Then it happened. The door opened and a stream of wheelchairs and canes came rolling through the crowd, and the onlookers went wild. Cheering, clapping, shaking-of-hands - these men had come to see the WWII Memorial before they died. 110 of them marched/rolled through Gate 1 as strangers thanked them for their service.  I will never forget the look on their faces - the surprise, the joy and the tears of these old men and women who were being greeted as heros.  I stood shaking hands and cheering with my one little carry-on bag, trying not to let them see my own tears. As the plane emptied and the music faded, I boarded a plane to normalcy, thinking of my own grandparents. But I will never forget their smiles and salutes or the respect I felt for them that day. Needless to say, it was not your typical day at the airport.

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*I ended up finding a facebook page for the group of WWII Vets. To see more pictures of them at the memorial, click here.