I hate traveling. Don't get this confused with exploring - going on vacation, visiting a friend, backpacking in a new National Park, etc. It's just the act of getting there, the actual traveling part, that drives me up a wall. ESPECIALLY FLYING. I have now come to expect that there will always be some sort of issue (usually in the form of delays). My most recent excursion was no exception.
I was headed back to Milwaukee after a long week of two different (unsuccessful) auditions. Okay, let's reframe that. Not completely unsuccessful. I learned a few more tidbits about auditioning, what not to do, yada, yada, yada. *Cue eyeroll and a wink. I had a 4-hour layover at BWI. Almost as soon as I got off the first flight, I got the text update that the second flight would be delayed by an hour. Wonderful. I decided I would find an empty gate, set up camp, start getting my act together for my next audition, then read a little bit. At the time, I was reading "The Other Einstein" by Marie Benedict. I had some things splayed out around me, including this book. This older couple starts walking right towards me. I was a little confused because there were plenty of open seats available. Admittedly, confused isn't really the right word. I was annoyed. I got up to move all of my stuff so they could get to this area of seats right next to me. I then sat back down, legs crossed, and got back to making my next audition playlist on Spotify. The woman turned to me and said "Oh! Marie Benedict! Have you read (insert title here) by her? It's historical fiction and has similar feminist undertones." To which I replied "Oo, no I haven't. I'm really into historical fiction, particularly regarding World War II." Now, I am aware how uncool that sounds, and I simply don't care. She didn't either. She sat right down next to me, crossed her legs, and proceeded to give me the most incredible list of book recommendations.
At one point she said "okay, just one more recommendation." A phrase repeated multiple times with the disclaimer "I usually leave people alone and give them their space, but..." Somewhere down the line, I asked where she and her husband were headed. She said "Milwaukee" and I said "Oh my god. Me too!" The usual banter that follows that type of realization ensued. We got on the topic of what I do there. I explained my temporary situation, and that I will be leaving at the end of the season. This was hard for her to understand, and frankly, hard to explain. Naturally, we got on the topic of taking auditions, feeling confused, and the frustration amidst all the rejection. When I tell you this conversation meandered in the most meaningful and impactful way, I mean it. I felt like she knew me. She understood me right away. Patty had just retired, and felt like she was at a crossroads, as well. Her 36-year-old daughter also just moved back home, at a crossroads in her career path. Patty said all sorts of things, a few of which I had just written about in my previous blog post. I don't believe that was just coincidence. Patty looked me dead in the eyes and said "you are the one who knows what's best. Trust your intuition, and I promise you, it will be better than you ever imagined."
I don't think of myself as a religious person, but I am definitely spiritual. Patty dragged her husband to those seats for a reason I may never know. But she was certainly meant to sit next to me. People come and go in our lives for various reasons, but I believe that the coming and going is always at the right time. It can be exhilarating, incredibly painful, or sometimes just plain comforting. It may take a while for us to learn the lesson and absorb the takeaway, but my encounter with Airport Patty was brief, and deeply profound. I believe what is meant for me in the universe, is already on its way. However, sometimes life tricks me into believing otherwise. My emotions and intense anxiety sink their teeth in and lay the trap. But on that particular layover, they were no match for Airport Patty. She knew just what to say to help set me free.
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