Flying a red-eye to DC and having no sleep is apparently no joke when you're 46.
I had plans to explore the city each day after the Head Start conference finished but found myself in bed by 6pm and up again from 10pm-2am.
Finally on Thursday, I departed Hawaiʻi on Sunday night, I took advantage of our 12:30pm end time to catch a tour of the Capitol and Library of Congress - also passed the courthouse where 45 was to arrive. I felt good, I even enjoyed dinner with Head Start Region 11 T&TA folks.
I packed my bags, brought out my laptop and book from the Library of Congress to read to Kilohana (I'm a YouTuber 😂), took a shower.....then ended up on calls with colleagues from Hawaiʻi until 1:30am.
I obviously fell asleep and did not set my alarm. I knew something was wrong when I woke on my own.
OMG it's 7:26am!!! Flight leaves at 8:26.
Immediately thought of Tamika's call when she fell asleep and missed her shuttle.
No brushing teeth, throw in bag, zip luggage, look around, grab purse, grab laptop bag, run down stairs, bypass check out, what 7 min until shuttle arrives?, run back in and check out, rush out to shuttle, not here, why is my bag light, omg no laptop, ask front desk for new key, rush back upstairs, grab laptop and find book!!!, run back down, get on shuttle, rush to check in, where is it?, security assists, 3rd floor, too late for check in (7:50am), agent books another flight because she can't get my luggage on and we can't fly separate, call husband (2am) to alert him, text daughter, she calls, I sit and talk until her phone dies shortly after, walk through TSA, call husband, sit and breathe deeply.
OMG, I need a HUGE coffee.
Three hours later, I am now sitting to reflect. What a hot mess!!!!!!
In the midst of this experience, I was pissed that I woke up late, irritated that the shuttle wasnʻt there waiting for me, irritated that I didnʻt know how to check out, annoyed that there were so many people waiting for the shuttle with so many bags, annoyed that they dropped me off at the baggage claim and not the check in, frustrated that Delta and American did not have their check ins at the same spot, irritated that my luggage and self could not travel separately, and mad I brought a check in bag because I COULD have made the flight if I brought a stupid carry on.
I also felt gratitude. Thankful for the free shuttle, thankful for the kind, accommodating, and quick front desk employee, thankful I found my laptop...and book!, thankful for the brief nice conversation with my seat mate on the way to the airport, thankful for the security who saw my struggle / lost / panicked face and told me American was on the 3rd floor, thankful that the American agent booked me to still get home tonight, thankful for my TSA pre-check, thankful that Sean and Tamika answered their phones, and thankful that I have an opportunity to decompress and RELAX.
At any moment I could have flipped my shit and started spewing all of my emotions on innocent people around me when the problem was mine alone - and I knew this.
This past week, so many states shared that, in light of the current political climate, they cannot speak certain words. One of our activities was dialoguing about other words for Social Emotional Learning, Mental Health, and Developmentally Appropriate Practices - all words and ideas that are banned in certain states and have gotten people fired from their jobs.
All I know is because I had the skills to reflect in the midst of my crisis, to know that while I felt irritated and upset that the problem was mine and no one elseʻs, and that I cared for people I did not know - I processed my thinking, feelings, and behavior in a productive manner.
We ALL need to learn and practice these skills.
Who knows when weʻll encounter an unexpected experience that will require these capabilities.
So here I am, grateful to be at the airport for the last 3 hours, thankful to now be making 2 stops in junk middle seats, grateful that Iʻll be getting home later than expected but still today, and thankful for my family who will pick me up even though it will be inconvenient.
P.S. PLEASE let me win the Mega Bucks! 😀
P.P.S. The thought of "PAGING PASSENGER YUUKO ARIKAWA-CROSS for AMERICAN FLIGHT XXX, YUUKO ARIKAWA-CROSS for AMERICAN FLIGHT XXX" is mortifying. #darcy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
