I was 26 years old when I first had my chance to take a plane from Cebu to Manila. There seemed to be so many gates and so many directions to follow. People seemed to be doing their own thing. They didn't notice a lost soul wandering around and in them. Cool! I wanted to be cool and to act as naturally as I could. I didn't want to ask anyone. I wanted to be in! I didn't know what to do.
I was at the Check-in counter when the lady asked me, "How about your bag sir?" I casually answered, "No, I'm fine." I didn't know what she was asking about. I've seen in some movies that I need to drop my bag off but I didn't know when and where. And I was also thinking, if this the place to drop my bag off, how to reclaim it?
There I was walking down the hallway unto the Waiting Area with my heavy backpack and 1 big heavier carryall bag. I noticed that everybody seems to be simply gliding with small hand carry bags but there I was, overly burdened.
Life, they say, is burdensome. Even newborn babies know this. We hear them cry as soon as they are out. But notice that as soon as they feel comforted, they start to come calm down. They are still in the same world, breathing for their life, knowing by instinct that sooner or later, they will grow up and have to face the rugged truth about life. But the mother's caress is enough for them to be assured that it is difficult but it will be all right. The mother's caress is enough for them to sleep through the night.
We don't need to fly far away just to know what pain and suffering is. We look at our relationships now. We have troubled marriage, daunting in-laws, drop-out kids, and at times stubborn parents. We deal with each them on a daily basis. But like the newborn baby, we may not be able to get away from the situation but we will be comforted by the people around us. However, this people comforting us need the same comforting that we do. The comforting they can give is relative to their own personal circumstances. We need real and lasting comforting.
Jesus Christ comforts us. He said, "Come to me all you who are burden... and I will give you rest... For my yoke is easy and my burden light." At times we want to do things our way; solve problems and resolve conflicts the way we have been been doing it. He assures us that He will offer rest for all of us. He Himself knows how it is to go through the pains, difficulties, and challenges. He was once with us and lived us one of us. He knows all of it and He also knows the comforting of His own Father. This is the comfort that Jesus will give us. He will give us the love and comfort He received from His own Father. He calls us to take our rest. But at times we are too busy to notice Him. We are preoccupied with so many things that we fail to acknowledge this God who comes to us and offer us love, comfort and rest.
I could have enjoyed my first walk in the airport premises had I listened to the lady's invitation to have my bags be checked in. I could have glided through and enjoyed my first ever airplane flight.
On my succeeding flights, I made it sure that I only have my hand carry bag with me and nothing else. As to my extra burdens, well, I do have the entire airline attendants to help me with my baggage. Why bother adding burden to myself when somebody who knows the entire trip and the airplane capacity offers me some minutes of rest? Jesus does the same. He doesn't take away the burdens. He shares it with us.
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