I arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare. As it turned out, it was a good thing. The security line didn’t seem long as I approached the TSA agents, but I unknowingly chose the lane with a trainee working the xray monitor. I don’t mind waiting if it means we travel securely (except when I’m running late. I’ll admit to getting grumpy very quickly when I’m rushed…even though it’s typically my own fault.). 

As I often do when in a crowd, I began to watch the people around me…

The crowd’s patience started to fade when one man pulled aside a TSA agent and insisted our side wasn’t letting his side feed into the line. He reminded me of the people who blare their car horns behind someone who lets a car pull ahead. I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt and reminded myself of the times I’ve been unjustifiably accusatory. The lady who was in the front of our line wasn’t quite as forgiving and insisted she was doing nothing wrong. Tension began to rise.

Someone commented that the guy behind the xray monitor must be in training since someone was standing beside him guiding him through the process. That spurred a conversation about training techniques and how it could be done better (so as to not incovenience all of us). I felt for the guy. Surely he could hear us and felt the pressure. People started cramming their bags onto the belt to speed up the process…but it slowed down the process because the bags couldn’t be examined well. Several of the TSA agents starting getting impatient. I caught eyes with one and said one word: “Breathe.” “I’m breathin’,” he said. “Or at least I’m trying!”

The man in front of me and I then started talking lightheartedly about people’s impatience and our own experiences with airport lines. The man behind us joined in, and before we knew it, we were all waiting for our bags on the other side. (In the meantime, every time the TSA agent caught my eye, he emphatically told me, “I’m breathin’!”)

Another delay. One of our bags became a teaching point for the trainee. “Do you see what I see?” “No.” “It’s in the upper right quadrant.” “I don’t see it.” …The two men and I jokingly accused each other for slowing down the line. It was my bag. But the “breathing” TSA agent assured me it wasn’t my fault, that people were still cramming their bags onto the conveyor belt. As he took it to be rescanned, the other bags came through, and the two men put their shoes on, reorganized their belongings and smiled at me. One man turned around as he left to grin and remind me to breathe.

The process of waiting could have been much more frustrating. And I’ve been in similar situations in which I haven’t chosen to breathe, relax, and be patient. Attitude makes a big difference.

As you go through your day, be sensitive to the times you feel tense, frustrated, and irritated. Check your attitude. Will you justify or adjust your attitude? Your choice will make a big difference.

Let everything that breathes praise the Lord. Praise the Lord! Psalm 150:6

After he said this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” John 20:22