As the holiday season draws to a close, I found that 2009 was the year of epiphanies for me. Every year for the last few years, I’ve flown back to my hometown with the usual sense of “same old, same old”. All of that changed in 2009.
Like many of you in the airline industry, I grew up in a very small town. I believe the term used in the airlines and in politics is “fly over territory”. During most of my early life, I viewed it in that way. “Small town, small ideas, and nothing to really offer the world” is how I viewed it. For years, my single line of focus was to get out of there, don’t look back and see the vast world that was denied me during my prison term in “fly over territory”. I always looked to the horizon, to the future and towards something better. When I turned 18, I took advantage of every opportunity to get away from the place I looked down upon my nose at for so many years.
During my 20’s, I managed to get away, go to college, and get that coveted 9 5 job that would make me a millionaire (so young and naïve—lol) and keep me out of the fields or factories that had repressed so many that came in the generations before me. Around the age of 30, I had accomplished enough in my career that I could FINALLY indulge, once again, in my love of travel and my desire to go out and see the world. Over the next 5 years, I skied the magnificent Alps of Switzerland, Austria and Italy; explored the magnificence of Rome (truly the birthplace of civilization); cruised the canals of Venice on the last day of Carnivale; witnessed the birth of The Renaissance in Florence; enjoyed the beauty of Cancun; and the high cultures of Dusseldorf, Salzburg and Amsterdam. Most important, I had visited all of these places long before my entry in the airline industry where free travel is a mouse click away. During those years of travel, I had seen some of the most magnificent creations of Western European civilization. I was even more convinced than ever of its vast superiority over the place of my birth.
Well, all of that changed the summer of 2009. While I always had a rather strong sense of disdain for my birthplace, it was always my strong feelings for my friends and family that brought me back year after year. When my plans to visit another fun and exotic country fell apart, I decided to fly home and spend a few days with my family, since I hadn’t seen them since the previous Christmas. I did my usual things, took road trips to the nearest major city an hour away, and took the time to just relax. While home, I suddenly remembered that my current passport was a mere 4 months from expiring. Aside from needing it for work, that little book was my gateway to the world and there was no way in hell I was going to lose that privilege (even if temporarily). My aunt suggested I travel 4 miles down the road and take care of it in our local county courthouse. Once again, I turned up my nose and asked “are you kidding?” I relented and drove there.
Now, to put this into perspective, our courthouse is a landmark in my area. It was built right before the Civil War. My hometown was small, but it was in the heart of the formerly powerful US steel industry (the money from that industry is what built it). Its tall and imposing dome made it the tallest building for at least 30 miles. Again, I grew up always acknowledging it as a symbol of home, but also as just another boring place in a rather boring little town. I’d been in and out of that place many times over the years (performing in yearly choral concerts in its rotunda, field trips to witness the justice system in progress, jury duty, etc). Again, I never paid its interior much attention. Well, I made my way up its aged granite steps and opened the hand carved wooden doors. I stepped in the building and proceeded to walk through. I’m not quite sure why, but I suddenly stopped and took a look around. Suddenly, its marble interior caught my attention. Then my focus turned to the ornate brass railing on the beautiful marble staircase. My gaze then turned upward to the high rotunda above that was adorned with hand painted stained glass and surrounded by beautiful statues (all of which would make the great cathedrals of Europe green with envy). I just stood there admiring this testimony to American craftsmanship with complete awe. As I looked around, I began to see The Pantheon (an obvious influence on the architect), St. Peters, and The Sistine Chapel (did I mention the elaborately hand painted murals on the rotunda ceiling?). After spending so many years in this town, how could I ever miss such a magnificent building? It truly rivaled many of those amazing structures of Europe I’d visited (with great excitement) over the years, and I never noticed it. I took care of my passport paperwork and proceeded to exit, but not before taking one last look at a treasure I’d ignored for so many years.
Once outside, I began to notice all of the Victorian Era homes that surrounded the building. You could tell that great care was taken in their construction (from the turrets to the stained glass windows and the hand crafted gables). Again, I thought, how did I ever not notice this (being a lover of architecture)? My admiration grew as I went home with new found enthusiasm and began to explore my hometown on the internet. I soon learned that those elaborately crafted homes had once served as important stops for the Underground Railroad and my hometown was of strategic importance in winning the Civil War.
I know it sounds a bit cliché, but it’s true that sometimes you need to travel the world to truly appreciate what you had all along. I guess that Dorothy Gayle said it best when she uttered two famous quotes: “The next time I go searching for my heart’s desire, I only need to look to my own back yard” and “There’s no place like home”.
Goodbye and Fly Safe Everyone!!!!
Author Resource:-
Dino is a career airline employee and avid traveler. He spends his work days as part of a flight crew crisscrossing North American for a commercial airline and his off days going anywhere in the world he can grab a free flight with friends and is a regular contributor at http://airlinedevils.com
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