Hug at C11

I land in the massive Dallas airport. I have over two hours before my next flight so I scan the monitors. Another flight leaves for St. Louis in forty minutes. Gate C11. It is nowhere near my gate, but I have time. Just as I'm contemplating my options I see a call from my sister, who I thought was already in St. Louis.

"Vickie! Why are you calling me? Don't you think I'm on a plane or something?"
"Aren't you in Dallas?"
"Yeah. Just landed. How did you know that?"
"Paco told me."
"Where are you?"
"Dallas too."
"Oh, are you at gate C11?"
"YES! Can you see me?!!?!!!?"

It turned out my sister is flying standby. She already has missed one flight, and just learned she won't likely be getting on the flight leaving from gate C11. Grandpa's funeral is tomorrow, and the viewing is today from noon to nine. We've already missed some of it, but I should still get there sometime just after six. My sister, on the other hand, has no idea when she will get there. I can't see her, but I begin to head for gate C11. I'm still on the shuttle heading across the airport. My phone rings. It is Vickie again, wondering where I am. I'll be right there. Finally, I arrive. I see her from a few hundred feet away. I can see it on her face. A face that just says, "I'm really glad you're here. I need someone with me right now." I walk toward her. She walks toward me. Then I wrap my arms around her and hold her. It is one of the greatest hugs of my life. A time where I didn't need words to convey what I was saying:

You're not alone now. I'm here with you. And it is going to be okay.

I buy us some lunch. For some reason the $3.50 price tag on the small appetizing plastic box of green apples, dried cranberries, and blue cheese seems reasonable. I get that along with a soup and a salad. The apples with cranberries are delicious. I watch my sister's temperament change from anxious to relaxed. We still do not know if she's going to make it on my flight or have to wait for another one, but for a second that doesn't matter. What matters is I am here. She calls our brother Scott back. He was doing his best to take care of her despite already being in St. Louis. She fills him in on the details, and then passes the phone to me.

I say to Scott, "I got her."

He doesn't even need to respond. That is all he wanted to know. I can tell he would have been there himself if possible.

The next day I spoke at Grandpa's funeral. I shared about our hug at gate C11. Maybe sometimes it takes death to realize what's important in life. Too often we are too concerned with the insignificant. Thursday, I had the opportunity to be there when my sister needed me. I'm so glad I was, because I didn't want her to have to go through it alone.