By Nina Garret
Walking thru the airport is always an experience! I get a rush of excitement, anticipation, and satisfaction all at once. It is also, by far, the only time I feel total and complete independence.
Each time I walk thru the terminal, I get an all-around feeling of exhilaration. Always! I love to travel – I’m a veritable travel junkie, one could say. Any chance to go to a new destination, I jump at the opportunity. Life is full of opportunities and adventures.
Along with that excitement, there is also a feeling of great satisfaction, a sense of pride. I don’t know why exactly, but each time I’m walking in a terminal I feel a boost of self-confidence and am fired up for anything that’s ahead of me.
I must admit that aside from taking off on the runway and arriving at my destination, my favorite part is encountering those stares, the look of awe and puzzlement that I receive as I’m walking to my gate.
Another kind of gait that renders gawks is the way I stroll through the terminal. With my uneven step and easily affected balance, the looks from onlookers are pretty apparent. As a disabled woman with cerebral palsy, the unexpected phenomenon of exceeding nondisabled people’s expectations is always, without a doubt, easily achieved!
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I don’t get upset or angry by the attention; instead I find it at times very amusing. You all know what I’m talking about … the look of the nondisabled when they encounter one of Us. Or better yet, when you catch one of Them staring at you – the quick look away or the look of embarrassment, when they’ve been caught.
I love surprising people, especially those who underestimate my abilities, and traveling apparently is one of those abilities They disbelieve. But the transformation that takes place in me is the thing I love the most. The natural high!
The best analogy I can come up with is to compare it to a model strutting on a catwalk during a fashion show. I know, you ask, “A model … a catwalk … what?”
As I make my way on the catwalk (the terminal), I pass other models. On each side of the terminal are other travelers or audience members. At this moment I feel empowered and feel like I can do anything. The stares from the onlookers don’t faze me. I walk with my head high and exude a certain air about me – arrogance, I’ll admit.
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Occasionally when I’m strutting through the terminal, I imagine giving people a friendly birdie. We’ve all wanted to do it at some point, when people stare longer than what they have been allotted, or go beyond staring by giving the look of disapproval or disgust.
Aside from the ego boost, traveling, I believe, is essential for personal growth. It is also a great opportunity to challenge oneself and be adventurous. One of my mottos in life is “Making what seems to be impossible -- Possible.”
So remember, the next time you’re walking (or rolling!) through the terminal at some airport, you’re just another model, strutting along.
