Tip of My Iceberg

Nobody ever wakes up expecting to be annoyed. Anticipating being bothered.

Maybe we should. It’s bound to happen. And being aware is a way of mentally and emotionally preparing for that unexpected divot that everyone walks in. Daily.

That attitude of preparedness would have helped me as we flew back from Denver to Orlando. The “we” included four grandkids who can tolerate only so much airport, three daughters and two sons-in-law.

My husband missed the fun. He had a first-class flight back home. On another airline. Yes, he had to make a stop in Minneapolis. But he was pampered with a meal on real china and had a comfortable seat. Alone.

Do you detect the slightest twinge of jealousy? I was twinging all over.

Our flight was supposed to leave at 3:50. We arrived at DIA at 1 p.m. to make sure we’d get through security on time. Without rushing the kids or their folks.

Or me.

The 3:50 flight got pushed back to 4:40. We finally boarded closer to 4:45, got everyone seated on the full flight, and pushed back from the gate.

Only to wait on the tarmac for over an hour and a half.  Broken plane.

Isley, desperately tired, fell asleep on the plane. Finally. Only to have to be picked up and carried back to the terminal to finish her nap under the arm of two connecting chairs.

At three, desperate exhaustion leads to sleeping anywhere.

A new plane needed to be found. (How do they not have them stored in some convenient spare plane place? Don’t they know planes break?)

A plane was finally located and was sent winging towards Denver. Now all we needed was a pilot.

And I thought a spare plane was tough. Pilots are obviously much scarcer than planes.

Isley had awakened, startled that she was back where she’d already left. A bit undone by having gone nowhere (am I talking about her or me?) she was upset for awhile. Until we had the great idea of running the wrong way on a moving sidewalk. (Remember the undone bit? This was my idea.)

It was getting later and later, so fewer people were actually using the sidewalk. We began by walking fast the wrong way. Adults and children stared at me as if I was breaking airport conduct code.

I can guarantee you I wasn’t the first to do this.

We got our rhythm going and began running the wrong way. Exhausting.

But I think I’m onto a new idea for an exercise video.

A pilot was found. (Many asked where they’d found him.) We loaded the plane. Again. Pulled away from the gate.

And waited another half hour for mechanical failure.

Teagan fell asleep on the plane, but the other three were wired and ready to go.

When we arrived at the airport, it was 4 a.m., Orlando time. When we finally made it home, it was 5:30 a.m.

I haven’t pulled an all-nighter since college.

Was it easy to be annoyed by this unplanned speed-bump? You betcha.

But I saw that people who went with the flow and laughed about the challenge fared better than the man sitting next to me who had nothing nice to say about the airline or their employees.

“A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face; a sad heart makes it hard to get through the day.”   Proverbs 15:13

Annoyance happens. Every day.

I choose my attitude. Every day.

What face will you choose to paint on your heart today?