Pavlovian response?

As we escorted Galina's sister through check-in and up to where she entered the security area, I could not shake the feeling that had formed in the back of my mind of excitement, of anticipation, of wanting to travel somewhere. This feeling became particularly acute as I checked the departure monitor in Terminal D at IAH, which listed a number of interesting—or at least different—destinations. I thought about that feeling for most of the road home.

This morning, it occurred to me that yesterday was the first time in years that a traveling member of our family was so escorted. The normal drill for travelers in our family—for me, for Galina, for Natalie—consists in driving up to the passenger drop-off, pausing long enough to haul baggage out of the trunk, exchange a quick hug, and then leave.

That means that pretty much the only time I ever see the inside of an airport is when I'm the one traveling, when I am acutely aware of Being En Route™. So I suspect my state of mind yesterday may just have been something of a Pavlovian response to my environment.