Flipping the Script

Hopefully in coming days many perspectives will be shared here but as we begin our adventures let me share a brief experience that has left me pondering it. Upon disembarking from our plane in Chicago from KCI and entering into the international terminal, I approached the water fountain for a drink. A man in a dark suit coat was at one of the two adjoining fountains holding down the button with one hand and filling water into his other hand to drink from. I came beside him, pushed the button, and drank straight from the flowing water stream. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed he paused and was watching me. It has left me wondering what went through his mind - was he thinking "how odd that he doesn't fill his hand" or "hmmm, that's a different way to drink" or something else entirely. By being the one observed it gave me pause that as we are entering into a context where we will feel like observers, it is truly a two way street when differences bump into each other. Additionally, in great expectation of being surprised and enlightened by differences we will encounter, I didn't expect to bump into a fellow traveler, possibly coming the other way, who may have felt the same.