Most people take this cliché figuratively, but have you ever taken it literally? For example, how many people do you know that have left home and gone somewhere to ‘find themselves’? What is it about travelling (ie. Getting on an airplane) that makes you think about your life? Does the physical act of motion prompt you to reflect about your own life’s progress? All these questions came about when I started thinking “You know, it’s funny…. Most of the time any of us step on a plane, there’s the potential for our lives to go in radically different directions – possible new chapters in the book of life…”
Today (Sunday) is when all the OOPs (out of province) students interviewed for the 10 eligible medical spots open to OOPs. As the term implies, all of them come from outside the Maritimes and the vast majority have never visited Halifax before. Yet any one of them could be living here next September and completely change the direction of their life. And when talking to them and answering their questions like “What’s Halifax like? “Do you like it here at Dal?”, you can see that they’ve started to think about it, if only in abstract terms.
Leading them around Tupper and chatting with them during the interview made me reflect on my own interview experience at Dalhousie and more broadly, my travel experience over the last 2 years. Most of you know that I’ve spent a lot of time on airplanes and in airports (since May of 2006 I have spent more than 120 hours (roughly) on an airplane); a course that has taken me half-way across the world and back. And I’ve come to the conclusion that the journey of life is somewhat like a really long airplane trip.
Usually, you start your trip by leaving home or your comfort zone. Once at the airport, you then have to check in and drop off your baggage – both literally and figuratively. Next stop is security check, which serves as a bridge between your old world and the new world that you’re travelling to. It’s a nether region where everything seems to be in state of flux – rules are changing, people are flowing and invariably, some articles of clothing have to be shed. Somewhere between the waiting lounge and take off is the point of no return. You start to panic and question the wisdom of your decisions and whether you’re going to the right place. But during the ride, you have the occasional quiet moment to do some deeper reflection, provided the kid behind you isn’t kicking your seat and the guy next to you is actually keeping to his own personal space. But it’s not much time – most of the time you’re too busy trying to accomplish more than you can manage – finishing that book you bought in the bookstore, writing the letter you promised your friend, or even doing your taxes. And like life, you face your share of obstacles: delays caused by planes breaking down, frustration of the airline losing your luggage, or getting lost in a foreign airport. It feels like a higher power is giving your patience and your abilities a real run for the money. But you also have those moments that reaffirm your faith in the goodness of humanity. Whether it’s the complete stranger that takes you to the mystery terminal that’s only accessible by stairs or the sympathetic ticket agent who manages to clear all the bureaucratic obstacles to get you a seat on the next flight, a smooth journey of is completely dependent on the kindness of strangers. The wide varieties of characters at the airport are also like that people you’d meet in life. From the hysterically clueless to those that are calm island of calm surrounded by an ocean of confusion. And finally, when you arrive at your destination, things don’t seem too different and you’re not sure what the fuss was all about. People are still people and you’re still yourself. But when you think about it some more, you’ve gained a deeper appreciation of things and of yourself. Being completely vulnerable and at the mercy of strangers has a funny way of bringing out the real us.
I’m stating the obvious, but think about your own life the next time you step on a plane. I know of most of us, when we met the applicants, were thinking about our own experiences and how glad we are to be done. But don’t forget that in 3 quick years, we are going to be doing the exact same thing: flying across the country to ‘find ourselves’. So remember, if life is a journey and every plane ride is the start of a new journey… well, that’s something to appreciate.
