These days. I relive all the miles I’ve traveled going home again. Places I’ve traveled from like South Florida down Everglades way. Kansas City. New Mexico. And like some ancient animal of instinct as the holiday’s neared, packing a bag, getting behind the wheel or boarding a plane and heading ‘home’ again. On one such event I was flying and had a layover in New York. At the last minute a group of about twelve people got on at the same time. All joyous. Laughing. So, excited. One gentleman sat down in the open seat next to me. Me, always at the window. Always. Face turned to the sky. He greeted me with a smile, but also kept talking to his family and friends across the aisle, two rows behind him, somewhere up front. All in what can only be called, ebullient. So, very heartwarming. After an hour plus and then some the pilot announced we would be landing soon. The man next to me asked me to repeat what he’d said. – Landing soon. – No, no, that’s not’s possible. It’s too soon. I pointed out the window to the wide, blue bay. – Yes, see? We’re here. We’re landing. – Panama? – he asks. -Panama City, I say. -Panama City? – Florida. Panama City, Florida. – What erupted after that was a grief that spread through the cabin for the entire group. Cries of , No, no. Some began weeping. Me, looking out the window at home. Them, so far from. – We have people waiting, he said. So many people. - Almost to me. More to God. – We landed, de-boarded. Someone sent them to a counter. I waited for my bag, watched them from a short distance. Overheard – but we spent all our money on the tickets – all our money. And the story unfolded that some travel agent had sold them tickets to Florida - Not Panama. And it all too obvious they didn’t have the difference to purchase tickets ‘home’ where they had people waiting. I have thought of those people so many times over the years. Thinking of the places we’ve all called home for oh, so long. Thinking about the homes that lie ahead of us as “the future unfolds like some dark cloud until we enter it.” So many homes, so many lives, so many hearts. And I think of the homes we carry inside of us. How for some people our very presence is home. Feels like all the comfort and love they’ve ever known, or will need. Wishing you all a beautiful Christmas and whatever spiritual and family traditions you hold dear, a Peace that passes all understanding. And, remember, you will always have people waiting.