The Surprising Gift of a Delayed Flight

A "Be the Light" story on finding grace in unexpected moments

One of the delightful aspects of life is finding connection in the most unlikely places.

I’m excited to introduce this Be the Light series. This offering is a way to remind myself and others of a beautiful and important truth:

That it is possible to plant a seed of hope and joy, even when it seems the world is falling apart.

It’s easy to forget or dismiss the positive impact that one smile, one conversation, one compassionate connection can have. My desire is for each of us to feel inspired to share our own special beam of light, even if it takes a bit of courage to step out of our comfort zone.

Last winter, my husband and I were traveling home from a rambunctious visit with family. This adventure had included many joyful shenanigans with six children, as well as an abundance of hikes, bikes, and snowball fights in the mountains of northern California. We were feeling both grateful and weary upon arriving at the airport to embark on the last leg of our homeward journey.

By the time we checked our bags, it was already well past sundown. With a six-hour flight ahead of us, we were eager to get home, but the travel gods had other plans for us. When we got to our gate, we learned that our flight was delayed due to poor weather conditions. Grouchy and grumbling, we made our way to the seating area.

The slightly sickening scent of warm Cinnabon wafted through the terminal as we slumped in our plastic seats, dazed and uncomfortable. I was burrowed into my down jacket, dozing, when I heard a loud voice saying, “Hey, people!” from behind the counter in our waiting area.

I sat up, somewhat alarmed, to see what was going on. The terminal was full, and everyone’s irritation about the delay was palpable. To our left, a child was wailing, clutching his stuffed tiger. To our right, a couple argued about how the setback would affect their coming work-week. But I noticed that the gate agent was grinning broadly as he spoke to us through his microphone: “Ladies and gentlemen, I know you’ve been waiting for over an hour, and that you must be exhausted! So I thought this might be a good time for us to have a little fun.”

He looked out at us with bright eyes and a genuine smile. “I know we’ve got some talented people with us today! So, who knows a joke? Anybody here have an instrument they can play for us? Can someone sing us a song?”

At first people just stared at him or looked down sheepishly. Nobody moved. But that didn’t faze him – he just kept smiling, stepped out from behind the counter, and swept his arm toward an open area in front of him. “Come on, who’s feeling brave?” One little boy, probably seven or eight, raised his hand. He stepped forward and told a groaner of a joke: “What do you call a fake noodle?...an impasta!”

A few chuckles emerged from the crowd. A father pulled a harmonica out of his backpack (while his two teen-agers rolled their eyes) and played a rendition of Home On the Range.

After that, momentum began to build, and you could see that people were slowly opening up. A tiny girl in a purple tutu did a cartwheel, to loud applause. A young woman, dressed in red leggings and a Salt N Pepa t-shirt, strutted up to stand beside the gate agent/master of ceremonies and encouraged him to clap the beat as she belted out the hip-hop anthem…“Ahhh, push it. Ooh, baby, baby, ba-baby, baby. Get up on this!” By the time she repeated the chorus, everyone was either nodding to the beat or enthusiastically singing along. A few of them even got up and danced.

As each person broke through their reluctance to share something of themselves with the people around them…magic happened. They leaned toward each other, making eye contact, smiling and laughing. They seemed a little surprised to realize they weren’t alone. It’s as if everyone was collectively thinking, here we are together, in the same boat.

That night, the gate attendant decided to be the light.

In these times we are living through, it can be all too easy to numb out, shut down, or go through the motions of life with blinders on. With our growing compulsive attachment to our phones and screens, it can sometimes feel like we are all walking around in an isolated, trance-like state. But we remain deeply human at our core – and it only takes one person who is willing to break out of their bubble to create a ripple effect of connection in others around them.

No matter how we look on the outside, each of us in this human family share about 99% of the same DNA, along with the same hopes – to belong, to feel good, and to love and be loved. Being the light isn’t some rigidly defined act – it’s an energy that is expressed through how we show up, and how we treat ourselves and others. Sometimes it's as simple as a heartfelt smile, a small gesture of kindness toward a stranger, or an unexpected opportunity for laughter.

We are all connected. Like the spider’s woven masterpiece: when one thread gets tugged, the whole web moves. We must remember how our choices, our words, and our presence affect one another.

In these tumultuous times, we are in desperate need of joy. Some people ask, how can you possibly be happy and smiling when the world seems so grim? And yet all the while, joy is right here: patiently waiting for an opening so she can slip in. Can we welcome joy within moments of difficulty?

What if we saw the frictions as invitations? As opportunities to generously share our warmth, thoughtfulness, and patience, and to live in loving awareness of our shared humanity.

And the good news? We can choose to be the light at any time, in any moment.

It costs nothing, but heals us all.

In service of truth and love,

Lee

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Lee Sumner Irwin is a teacher, visionary, author, artist, intuitive guide, and grandmother who has spent the last few decades discovering a multitude of ways to uplift, inspire, and connect with women who feel called to her work. Over the years she has led retreats worldwide, coached women as they birthed their unique gifts and creative energy, and facilitated healing journeys. Her award-winning first book is Radiant Wise Woman: Breaking Free from the Myths of Menopause and Aging. She currently resides in Alabama with her husband where she enjoys dancing, exploring the wonders of nature, building community, nurturing her family, and finding ever-new ways to express her creativity.

Here at RADIANT WISE WOMEN, you’ll only find soul-filled, honest, and authentic content. No artificial intelligence — just pure human consciousness + creativity.