Waking up 6 hours behind the UK is a very strange feeling, not only physically but knowing that in the UK everyone is finishing lunch as we start eating breakfast is a little crazy. But I’m sure we’ll get used to it. There is much we’ll get used to. ‘You’re welcome’, seems to be the stock answer whenever you say ‘thank you’, it did grate a little at first but actually it is a good phrase to use and hear.
It got me thinking about this idea of welcome. When we arrived at O’Hare Airport and went through all the entry procedures it is hard to feel welcome. Fingerprints taken, photograph taken, questions asked about what we would be doing and where would be travelling, if we had any food stuff in our bags, if we’d touched any animals recently, and then a walk through those automatic doors into the arrivals area.
Now I knew that no one was going to be meeting us but as I walked through the doors I scanned all the people waiting there to see if anyone was holding up a board with our names on it. There were lots of people waiting for family, friends and business colleagues, and as I walked through the doors I guess they were disappointed that I wasn’t the person they were waiting for and I was disappointed that no one was waiting to welcome me.
It reminded me a little of the opening (or is it the closing) of the film, ‘Love Actually’, which has footage of scenes from an airport arrivals hall, people meeting, hugging, kissing, crying, welcoming people they love. But no one was there to welcome me.
Arrivals can be great for many but lonely for others. If ‘You’re welcome’ could become not only part of my language but also part of my actions, then no one need stand alone and all will feel the welcome of the Father. Coming home, arriving, feeling loved, accepted, wanted, valued, welcome is a great starting point which could lead to many more people seeing something of the Father and feeling His welcome. Even in the arrivals hall of an airport.
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