Unrestricted Refrain

The circulation was slowly coming back to my legs. For the last 8 hours they had been crammed, folded, uncrossed and rearranged in my seat many times as I tried to make myself comfortable on the last leg of my journey to Africa.

The plane was not filled with passengers and I was able to stretch out, well actually it meant I had a few more options for folding my legs into positions that would escape the aisles but offer a more relaxing repose.

The Lufthansa flight stops in Lagos, Nigeria before making its final destination in Accra. As our plane touched down in Nigeria the passenger in front of me began softly singing an African refrain.

Though I understood none of the words, there was a resonance in my soul. I smiled, ever quick to say "this is my favorite place on the face of the earth!" I grabbed my journal to remember the moment of her chorus in the midst of the growing noise; luggage unloaded, unknown languages traded back and forth, almost home for many of these travelers.

She kept singing as she rose up out of her seat to go. She looked back at me and smiled, "oh, sorry" she said.

"Don't be. What are you singing?" I uncharacteristically asked.

"I'm singing for God - thanking Him for getting us this far. You know it is not an easy thing."

"Yes", I replied, "I know THE God and I'm thanking Him too. "

No wonder the song sounded familiar.