the white haired woman on the plane

Because I travel so much, I am easily annoyed by amateur travelers…people who exit their plane rows/seat before their turn, people who push the back of my chair, people who play their shows or music out loud without headphones, etc. On one of my planes yesterday, an elderly woman exited her seat, when deplaning, ahead of her turn and ahead of me. Her two adult children followed her and “cut” in front of me. Rather than being annoyed, I took a moment to look at this woman. 

To most, she probably looked old and wrinkly. To me, I saw bright eyes, grace and determination. Rather than noticing the wrinkles and dreading the day that I would have them, I saw the long and beautiful life she had lived. I imagined the experiences she has had. I was envious of the wisdom she had gained. For the first time, age was beautiful to me. This woman was beautiful, and I just wanted to get to know her and learn more about her story. I didn’t even mind that she had cut the line. In fact, she DESERVED to cut in line! She had earned it simply for her bravery in facing this life for so long. Hopefully she found many beautiful moments along her way.