As we walked towards our gate to board the plane I knew two things to be true. First, it was too damn early to be getting on a plane. It was just shy of 6:30 and we were getting ready to board after waking up at 5am to sprint to the airport (thank God we only live 10 minutes away). Second, we’re most definitely going to get stuck in Baltimore. There wasn’t even a question in my mind.

This past weekend we were caught in the massive winter event that gripped much of the south and eastern part of the US. Going in, we knew there’s was a chance we would be impacted, we just didn’t know how. Four days and three rescheduled flights later, we found out what it was like to be snowed in, and I’ve got to say, it was pretty awesome.

Our reason for traveling was a funeral. My wife’s grandmother passed, and when we got the call earlier in the week we quickly sprung into action making plans. The original move was to drive up (nearly 10-12 hours each way if you count stops, which there would be many with a family of 6-8 passengers). But the more we considered it, the turnaround felt too quick and it seemed less worth the hassle. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good road trip. But I just don’t love being rushed on roadtrips. If our goal is to get there quickly so we can maximize our time at a destination, then we should opt for speed. So we decided to fly.

This decision created another conundrum: when would we leave? Initially we weren’t even paying attention to the weather forecast. It wasn’t until the day before our flight that I began to realize that there was a good chance we might be impacted. As the forecasts changed from snow to ice back in Atlanta where we were departing, the snow totals in Baltimore (our destination) kept piling up. By the time we arrived we were scheduled to see at least a foot of snow and likely much more.

Of course the girls were ecstatic. Living in the south, the only real snow we see is the dusting of a few inches every few years. It’s nice, but it doesn’t last long, and it’s definitely not snowman building weather. But this was going to be different.

Friday night we went to the store and stocked up on all the things. I was the quintessential panic buyer, putting every snack (of course cookies), fruit, and desired items in my cart. It helped that we were staying with my brother in law and his family. Imagine this, under one roof we had at least three generations including my mother in law, multiple sisters in law, brother in law and each of our families. If we were going to be snowed in, at least it would be with family.

I’m a creature of habit, so I was most concerned about how we would all manage in one space for an undetermined amount of time. Fortunately, our B-more family were the ideal hosts (and it helped that the kids had a surprisingly warm basement!). In a time where uncertainty and daily anxiety over flight cancellations could have unnerved anyone, I felt strangely calm and safe. We had everything we needed, and we did what our family does when we’re together. We ate a lot of meals around the table, we stayed up late into the night talking, we sang karaoke with the kids, and we ate some more.

It was like God knew what we all needed. I wrote this in my journal during the trip:

It’s been amazing experiencing this home as a space of safety and refuge. I’m not just talking about physical safety here.  I’m also talking about psychological safety.  It felt like they’d cultivated a space of refuge both from the literal storm and also from the internal storms we’ve all been going through.  For a few days, we all got to rest and catch our breaths. And boy did we all need it. I’m just grateful we got to experience it. Safety says, I don’t have to rush.  I can just be here.  I have what I need.  I don’t fear anything around me.  I can catch my breath.  I’m protected. 

On our last day I found myself sad to leave. It was like, it’s time to go back to the real world. But, at least I was rested.

As I shoveled out snow from around the rental car (an overrated experience by the way), I couldn’t help but wonder, how do I carry this feeling of internal calm and safety back home with me on my other travels? Time will tell, but I know it starts with this: embracing where I am right now and finding peace, even if it’s in the eye of the storm.

SDW3