On April 11,2017, I was flying home from visiting friends. My stay in Phoenix was a great time filled with laughter of past memories and admiration of how much we’ve grown. I was a little tense flying back considering what occurred on United Airlines. Little did I know that this flight would be serendipitous.
The passengers on the plane weren’t that diverse (important for later). I sat at the window seat and thought that I would fall asleep soon. Instead, I read and listened to music for majority of the flight staying to myself.
The gentlemen beside me touched me on the shoulder to inform me of the pilot’s announcement concerning turbulence. I thanked him and continued to read and listen to music for over half of the flight. He tapped me on the shoulder again possibly 30 minutes before the plane landed.
Him: Hey, I see that you’re reading something concerning scripture and dating. I recently heard a sermon series that I think that you would like. The pastor is from Greensboro or Greenville, North Carolina. I can’t remember. The church is called Redemption. The Series is called Shipwrecked.
Me: It’s in Greenville. I visited that church years ago when I went to ECU (East Carolina University) years ago.
We both laughed at the chances of that occurring.
He started giving me advice of not settling and starting inward first before connecting with someone else. We started talking about traveling and places that we lived. Somehow that shifted to the pipeline in Standing Rock and I told him my take and why. Surprisingly, he agreed. Then, he told me that he had Native American friends.
He didn’t stop there. He proceeded to say that although he wasn’t directly responsible for genocide. He apologized to all of his Native American friends. I didn’t see that coming. My jaw dropped almost in my lap. He continued saying that he apologizes for the mistreatment of African-Americans from the past and even today.
Remember this is not a diverse flight. I’m one of three poc on the flight of maybe two hundred people. He didn’t mumble, say everyone makes mistake, or attempt to rationalize it in anyway. I was shocked but people around us seemed tense or either annoyed. I was speechless for a while but finally replied “Wow. That was nice of you. Thank You”
We returned talking about relationships and he started quoting different scriptures. He started one scripture and I faintly finished it not recalling how I knew it or why. He continued bringing up the fruit of the spirit and I shared with him that my word for this year is Joy which is one of the fruits of the spirit. We smiled and he continued explaining why love is the most powerful fruit because it’s the only action verb. You can’t have joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, or self-control without taking action through love. My face perked up because I never heard it explained in that manner.
He then began his testimony of how he’s amazed by God’s love and forgiveness. He testified of how he “wondered in the world” for four years. Although he was talking to me, it didn’t really seem like it was him. It seemed as if he was his praising God for me to hear. I only smiled and listened.
I wondered if I should tell him that I’ve struggled with my faith for the last four years, how I’m reading a devotion of forgiveness, or how I found myself settling and was recently shifted to focus more on God. I knew that it wasn’t a mistake THAT I was on THAT flight in THAT seat at THAT moment.
I only listened in amazement. I was thankful for his prodigal son experience. It gave me hope of a loved one who’s battling an addiction. As we both saw tears in each other eyes, we simultaneously reached up and clinched each other hands. The atmosphere near us shifted. The people who sat with stiff bodies as he apologized earlier were softened. Everyone in the nearby area sat quietly for a couple minutes except of him repeating “Thank You God.”
I sat reflecting on what he, Jason, said and was grateful that he was obedient and shameless. It wasn’t the Captain speaking but I sure was listening. Others were as well. Many of us are trying to reach a destination. We are rushing from one terminal to another terminal in time (i.e. chasing success). There’s turbulent times, delays, and exhaustion. We’ll cross paths with someone to remind us that we are on the right path.
Thank You Jason from Washington for being a guide for myself and others on flight 1899.
Phyllis G. Williams