I already scanned every single boarding pass. Everyone had settled in and it was time to close the aircraft door. Just as I was about to reach for the door a little girl came charging down the isle and her toes stopped at the edge of the aircraft.
Where were her parents? Where were the flight attendants?
With big brown eyes looking up at me and her hands clinched in front of her, she blurts out, "I left Stuffy up where I was sitting! CAN I PLEASE GO GET HIM BEFORE WE LAUNCH?!"
It was the cutest thing I had ever seen, but if I agreed to look for Stuffy the flight would be delayed and I would get in trouble. But how could I not? So, without a second to waste I said "Come on!"
As we ran up the jet bridge, I got on the walkie talkie and as if we were going to war, I called out, "I need someone to check gate 12 boarding area for a stuffed animal right now!" When we got to the top of the jet bridge, I turned around and said "You have to wait right here." The rules state she wasn't allowed to leave the jet bridge. She said, "Ok" and purposefully planted her feet in place with a look of desperation.
I opened the door to leave the jet bridge and standing there was my coworker with Stuffy in hand! We both gasped. She jumped and clapped with more joy than I have felt all year. I gave her Stuffy and said, "Quickly head back to your seat!" She skipped down the jet bridge swinging Stuffy overhead in victory. I couldn't help but start skipping behind her.
She turned the corner and entered the aircraft to a roar of applause holding Stuffy like a trophy over her head.
She glanced back at me as she headed to her seat and the look on her face is one of my favorite memories to date. I closed the door quickly and, miraculously, it didn't cause a delay.
As I stood there waiting for the plane to pull back, I smiled thinking about her words. She didn't know that the place she was sitting was called the boarding area. She didn't know that the plane didn't "launch", it "took off". But it was those words that convinced me to help her. In her desperation, she didn't need the right words. She didn't need to sound perfect. She just needed Stuffy.
The Christian world has started doing this crazy thing where people say things like, "That person prays so powerfully." or "I wish I could pray like that person." But it's all hogwash. All God wants from us is to be that little girl. He just wants us to show up and talk to Him. We don't need to sound perfect or have all the right words. We don't have to overthink it or worry. Just talk to him. Ask for the desires of your heart. He wants to run up the jetbridge with you and then watch your face as He does more than you can ask or imagine.
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