Total Strangers

Three hours on the Palm Springs runway, a missed flight, and a night at a sketchy hotel had me a bit ragged by this morning. Destined to hinge upon the hopes of getting a stand-by seat all day, I flopped down by a familiar enough face. It was the face of a girl I saw the night before as we both tried to figure out what was next for us at Denver International Airport. I said hello and asked her if she was trying to get to Oklahoma as well. She replied that she was, and off started a friendly conversation about how we were going to get home.

Not knowing that we would have no luck getting on the first flight, we eventually resigned to silence as I typed away on my Blackberry and she called her mother. Eventually her friend showed up as well, and we bemoaned our fate as the flight to Oklahoma City left us without even a trace of hope that our futures might brighten. Apparently fifteen other people were on standby just like us.

That's when we decided it was time we teamed up. As we went to customer service, we started to realize we were in this together. After they told us our chances were not good, we eventually decided to go to the next gate to see if we could get out on the second flight. On the way though we decided that we'd just drive home (eleven hour drive) if it didn't work out. Thankfully we got a flight to DFW, and then drove back to OKC. Good conversation pursued on the way home, and the ice eventually broke to the point that I felt like I was hanging out with people I'd known for a long time.

A nice story I suppose. But that's not really the point. I realized something today that was very important. I realized it was my duty to take care of those girls to be sure they got home. Never mind that they were both of age to take care of themselves (21 and 25). They needed someone calm and in-control to relieve their uncertainty.

It was a strange realization at first when I realized what was going on. I think for too long I've diminshed the male role to provide this kind of support and that this is what a female is often looking for. I'm not trying to downplay equality or even feminism. What I am trying to say is that as males we need to realize our role is that of a protector and provider.

Agree or disagree, it was good for me to realize this today. Even more strange, I felt valuable and needed while being with them and ensuring they got home. Perhaps that's how God designed us, male and female.