The War Within
Over the weekend, I found myself mindlessly scrolling through the television channels. I paused and smiled when I realized a 2004 comedy-drama, The Terminal, was playing. As an avid traveler, I have found much joy in this film.
The Terminal features Tom Hanks, who plays the role of an international traveler named Viktor Navorski from the fictional country of Krakozhia. While in transit, a war began in Krakozhia, and a military regime overtook the government.
As a result, the US government no longer recognized Krakozhia as a sovereign nation, and Viktor’s passport was considered invalid. Victor could not enter the United States or return to his home country; he was stuck for months at JFK airport on an unplanned and unwanted layover.
Many airport employees and other travelers befriend and support Viktor during this difficult time. They provide him with food, needed supplies, and meaningful relationships. As the story unfolds, we witness heartwarming moments of humans at their best.
The storyline was loosely based on the life of Mehran Karimi Nasseri, who lived in the Charles de Gaulle Airport near Paris for almost eighteen years. After being kicked out of Iran, Mehran was granted refugee status. Unfortunately, while traveling, the papers documenting his refugee status were stolen. As a result, he became a man without a country. He lived in the airport from 1988 until 2006. He finally departed due to a health crisis that required him to be hospitalized.
While most of us will never spend decades in an airport, we likely have experienced seasons of life rooted in a place we were only meant to visit. For example, maybe you had a job that should have been a simple transition on your resume, but it ended up being where you retired. Or what about a relationship that should have been casual dating but it turned into a marriage? Maybe you have embraced a pattern or routine that needed to be a short-term solution, but it turned in, “this is how we do things here.” And lastly, what about a friendship that was healthy for one season, but decades later, that person still has full-time access to you? Most of us aren’t very good at ending things.
One challenge we face in ending something is the presence of limiting beliefs. These beliefs about our ability to navigate change and step into the unknown can become an invisible boundary that keeps us in place. These deeply internalized beliefs reinforce our decision to stay when we should have been just passing through.
When we realize we have been static for too long, we must decide if it is worth the work of packing up and continuing our journey.
I am actively assessing what I want to hold on to and what I need to set down. At a bare minimum, I know I am responsible for leading my life. Some places were supposed to be seasonal - I was only meant to visit - but I know I have stayed too long. In several aspects of my life, it is time for me to be in motion again.
I hope that you can pause and acknowledge all the pieces of your life that make you, you. Being fully present in your life – at times – means you will have to uproot and replant some of those pieces in new places. This decision can feel scary, but it is worth it.
In the closing scenes of The Terminal, Viktor learns that the war in his country has ended. He is now free to leave the airport. I have observed that many of us are also waiting for a war to end; that war just happens to be within us, and we are the only ones who can set ourselves free.
As Viktor makes his way toward the airport doors, the rumor spreads, “Viktor is finally leaving!” Crowds of people walk with him in solidarity; they encourage him and celebrate the fact that he is moving from one phase of his life to another.
Much like Viktor, sometimes we need to let people cheer us on as we put one foot in front of the other, walk out the door, and step into the next season of our life.
There is a whole world that is anxiously awaiting your arrival.
Deep breath, you got this. We are all cheering you on.
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