Heading for Portland, finding God’s beauty
CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON
“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and
adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we
seek them with our eyes open.”
-- JAWAHARAL NEHRU
My husband, Jon, and I flew to Portland, Ore., for Memorial Day
weekend. Due to differences in schedules, I arrived at the airport
about an hour before Jon did.
After I checked in at the counter, I sat down at a bench with
thoughts of reading a book. The scenery in front of me, as well as
the constant parade of people on the other side of the bench, was so
interesting, however, that I never turned a page.
Two different women walked by with small dogs in little carry-on
bags. I might not have noticed them, if the young boy sitting next to
me hadn’t spotted them and pointed them out to his mother.
He also asked his mom if they could buy a dog and take it on their
next trip. The way the mother sighed made me think it had already
been a long day for her. I talked to the boy a bit about dogs, how
they are fun, but that they are also a lot of work and
responsibility. His mother smiled at me.
A husband and wife walked by in matching outfits, and then a woman
and a young girl came and sat on the bench. The mother reorganized
some of her things; the little girl wheeled her own colorful suitcase
in one hand, while holding a well-loved teddy bear in the other.
“Mom, mom, mom, how long till we get on the plane and can I sit by
the window?” the girl asked. “I want to watch for angels; do you
think I’ll see any angels in the clouds? Can you get your camera out
in case I see any, and then I’ll take some pictures to show to
Grandma and to dad? I’m hungry too. Mom, can we get something to
eat?”
“Slow down just a minute, sweetheart,” the mother answered. “You
have so many questions; I’ll try to answer them one at a time. Yes,
you can sit by the window, and I’ll put my camera at the top of my
purse, but first I want to get my sweater out because it can be cold
on airplanes. And yes, you can get something to eat as soon as we go
through the security line. I don’t know about seeing angels, but you
can sure look. Honey, be careful, you practically ran over the woman
with your suitcase.”
“She’s just fine,” I said to the mother. “It looks like you have
an eager traveler with you. I still like looking at the clouds too.
Maybe I’ll take your daughter’s suggestion and look for angels.”
Finally it was time for us to board our plane. I had a window seat
and especially enjoyed looking at the beautiful bay and ocean as we
took off in Orange County, and then the extensive greenery as we
landed in Oregon. In between, I enjoyed gazing out at the large puffy
blanket of clouds.
I didn’t see any angels, but I thanked God for his creativity and
the chance to enjoy the adventure of life.
And you can quote me on that.
* CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON is a Newport Beach resident who speaks
frequently to parenting groups. She may be reached via e-mail at
cindy@onthegrow.com or through the mail at 537 Newport Center Drive,
Box 505, Newport Beach, CA 92660.
All the latest on Orange County from Orange County.
Get our free TimesOC newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot.