This has been a very hectic year for me professionally and personally. I spent so much time on airplanes that I am now greeted by name at the USAirways ticket counter—and that’s before I check in. I suspect that many in youth ministry have had similar experiences with airports, bus companies, fast food restaurants, pizza delivery companies and t-shirt vendors. We may not know why this year felt so especially harried and overwhelming, but overwhelming it certainly has been.

On a recent flight across country I looked across my row of seats and I was struck by the view from the window seat of the plane. It was one of those magnificent evening skies falling into dusk. The setting sun scattered traces of red, orange, and blue reflected in billowy clouds on the horizon. Below the plane, I guessed we were crossing over the Rocky Mountains with its own majesty. Glimpses of wonder and power right outside the window.

But my co-traveler in the window seat was missing all of it. He never looked out. He was too busy doing mathematical equations—go figure. However, rather than feeling smug about his missing the view, this inattention to obvious beauty was more an indictment of me. I could have had that seat, but I had opted for the aisle seat—the seat of convenience, of quick departure, and of comfort.

For some reason, I have shifted from being a “window” person to being an “aisle” person. My life has shifted from wasting time to time management; from sightseeing to convenience, and from a sense of wonder to a sense of work. The window seat certainly provides a better view, but often that value is traded for the efficiency of an aisle seat.

And I have suffered from this subtle shift. There is nothing inspiring about the aisle seat. While the window seat enables my attention to focus outward, the aisle seat keeps my focus inside the plane and usually on producing work. The awe, mystery, and musings of the window seat are gone. I do not pray in the aisle seat. I do not even ponder or daydream. I made a mistake in letting go of the window seat in favor of the aisle seat.

We all need to capture the window seats of our lives—the special places that are holy ground, the activities that rejuvenate our soul, and the gatherings with friends that provide an opportunity to muse, share, and see the mystery and majesty that is each of our lives. We all have our memories of pausing and sitting with good friends and looking out those “windows” together.

We also have memories of those ministry “windows”—those experiences, relationships, and conversations that massage the soul and that provide a glimpse into mystery. Such moments remind us of the reason we entered into this ministry in the first place.

So whether you are traveling to conferences, leadership programs, service projects, or meetings, when confronted with the choice of window or aisle, take the window. Pause in the midst of the busyness, pay attention to the grand mystery, and be filled with wonder. May this autumn ministry season treat you gently and may you be blessed with windows.