Somebody’s sitting in my seat

American Airlines Flight 627, Indy to Charlotte, N.C., Seat 18A

It’s early Tuesday morning and I’m headed to the She Speaks Conference with Lysa TerKeurst and Proverbs 31 Ministries. I feel a bit anxious as I am traveling alone and I’m unfamiliar with navigating the Charlotte Airport and arranging my Lyft ride to the Spring Hill Suites.

My day began with a 5 a.m. wakeup. I just want to get to my 18A seat by the window and relax for the one hour and 40-minute flight. I look forward to watching the landscape as we land from my window seat.

Wait … somebody is sitting in my seat.

This young man seems enthralled with a video on his phone. I look over the man in the middle seat to whisper, “Sir, I think you have my seat.” He looks at me and gives a slight shrug of his shoulders. The man in the middle gives me a perplexed look.

The plane is packed, and a line of passengers is waiting to get by me, so I sit in 18C on the aisle. It is not the window seat I paid for in February.

Somebody is sitting in my seat, and he isn’t budging.

I feel my “grouchy” meter begin to rise. This young punk thinks he can bully this grandma out of her seat.

He finally says, “So you want this seat?” I realize it would mean stopping the line of passengers to have the three of us play musical seats. (Without the music.)

I finally say, “It’s fine, I’ll just sit here” … and simmer. You know when a woman says it’s fine, it is so NOT fine.

We take off, he puts on his sunglasses and leans back and goes to sleep. He’s not even looking out the window. Forget the simmer, I’m nearing a boiling point.

At that point, I remember I’m heading to a Christian writing and speaking conference. I’m having not-so-Christian-like thoughts as I head to five days of spiritual inspiration and worship, and here I sit while wanting to jerk this young man out of my seat.

There was turbulence in the air, but it did not involve the wind. It was in my thoughts.

I begin to think, “Oh, no, you are not ruining one bit of my trip.” I kid you not, I start praying for this young man. I don’t know what is going on in his life. I ask God to bless him. Yes … BLESS HIM!

Anyone but God who would have heard my prayer would think I had lost my mind. Can you imagine the three bears blessing Goldilocks?

I realized this young man did not deserve grace, but I needed to give it to him. It was for my good, not his.

I left my grouchy attitude at about 30,000 feet altitude.

As I grabbed my luggage and headed to find my ride to the hotel, I couldn’t help but think about the young man in 18A. He may have stolen my seat but did not steal my joy. He might have left it a bit crisp for a while, but I was smiling by the time we landed.

I had a story to write, and a young man was unknowingly prayed for.

Let’s see what happens on my return flight to Indy. My assigned seat is, again,18A. Will I or won’t I be sitting there? Time will tell … and then, so will I.

Stay tuned.

Janet Hart Leonard can be contacted at janethartleonard@gmail.com or followed on Facebook or Instagram (@janethartleonard). Visit janethartleonard.com.