A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE CHANGES EVERYTHING!
Last week I was confirmed on a flight from Dallas to Atlanta…no big deal. I’ve flown this route about a zillion times over the years. I’m sure you’ve probably heard the old adage, “you have to go through Atlanta to get to heaven!” I’m not sure that’s theologically sound…but I digress…back on-point so I can actually get to the point!
I have this nifty little app on my cell phone that allows me to tap the screen and see all of my flight info. Before I ever pull out of my driveway en route to the airport, I always check it to make sure I’m good to go. So…last Thursday, I tapped it and the info appeared….the departure gate, terminal, and most importantly the departure time which read “ON TIME. ” “Piece of cake,” I’m thinking.
Au contraire, my friend! While checking in at DFW, my app lit up with updated information. The flight was delayed. No sweat, the event I’m speaking for in Atlanta is not until tomorrow, so it’s all good. Frustrating…but all good.
I made my way through security, and did the “TSA Macarena” as my buddy George Campbell (a.k.a. Joe Malarkey) so brilliantly demonstrates in this clip…two short minutes of PURE hilarious. You’ll never view airport security the same way again:
http://www.joemalarkey.com
But again…I digress…
A few minutes later, I checked my app again just to make sure I had the updated gate info for the delayed flight. DRUM ROLL…the flight was cancelled!
Before I could throw my cell phone at an innocent, unassuming fellow traveler (NOT!) it rang! It was the airline telling me that my flight had been cancelled. No kidding? They called to let me know they had already booked me (stand-by!) on another flight to Atlanta departing 2 hours later.
OK…keep it together, LaDonna. You’re a road warrior. These things happen. It just seems like they ALWAYS HAPPEN TO ME!
It’s a good thing I’m reading Emotional Intelligence 2.0, so I know how to let my “frustration” go from my emotional “limbic brain” to my “reasoning frontal lobe brain.” Did I mention that this is the fourth time I’ve read this book?
So…I mentally tried to implement the 17 Self Management Strategies listed on page 100. I could only remember one of them. I counted to ten…LOUDLY…47 times!!! I had plenty of time to do so, since I now had to take the Sky Link to the NEW TERMINAL for the NEW STAND-BY DELAYED FLIGHT!!!
“OK…new terminal…new gate…new flight…new attitude, LaDonna. Remember, you have all day to get to Atlanta since you’re speaking tomorrow…good game plan booking the flight a day ahead,” I’m thinking as I almost break my arm patting myself on the back.
I actually got some work done on my laptop as I sat at there waiting on the flight…one hour…two hours…. Then the announcement came from the gate agent, “All stand-bys have been cleared. If your name is not on the list, we’ll confirm you on the next flight to Atlanta.” My name was NOT on the list.
“One, two, three, four…a million one, a million two, a million three, a million four…”
Right on cue, my phone rang…the airline had CONFIRMED me on another flight to Atlanta. Saints be praised! However, my euphoria was short-lived. I didn’t get the upgrade…I didn’t even get the exit row seat. REALLY?! Do you mean to tell me that with my executive priority status, I got nada…? Blah…Blah…Blah…
As my “limbic brain,” began composing a scathing email to the airline, I heard a ping, apprising me of a new email into my inbox. It was from a good friend of mine…also a road warrior…who is not prone to forward YouTube clips. Curious, I clicked on the link. Please take 3 minutes to watch this. You’ll be glad you did:
A little perspective changes EVERYTHING!
Yesterday we celebrated July 4th. May every day be July 4th, as we remember those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice so we may live in the greatest country on the face of the earth…in freedom.
GOD BLESS AMERICA