Just Go With the Flow

Have you ever gotten any really great advice when you weren't expecting it?  Usually, I am never that lucky.  I am typically on the receiving end of advice that I didn't really ask for or want...but I digress.

Let me set the scene for you.  I was on a business trip (yes, little old me on a business trip) and I had just landed in Charlotte, NC.  I had a second connecting flight to Jacksonville, NC (don't worry, I had never heard of it either) and manged to get on the plane without a hitch...or so I thought.

So the plane taxis out and we sit on the tarmack (in 90 degree weather without A/C) for at least 25 minutes.  The pilot says nothing and we are all wondering what the heck is going on.  Finally, we start moving...not towards a take-off, but back to the airport.  Our pilot, once we were back at the gate, lets us know that our flight has been cancelled due to weather.  Totally cancelled...not delayed...cancelled.

Great, now what?  So, we get directed to the Service Center (I use the word service very lightly here) and after 45 minutes of waiting in line, I get to the front desk.  Their best option...booking me on a flight that leaves at 10:50pm.  Just so you know, it was about 3:00 at that time.

Well, that wouldn't work for me, so basically, I went through a bunch of hassle and two hours later I was in a rental car driving to Jacksonville.  Out of complete ignorance, I totally trusted a guy in line who said that the drive was only 2.5 hours.  Nope, try 5 hours, with drenching rain and thunderstorms and a phone with low battery.  Awesome.

To top it off, I found out on my long, boring car ride, that I wasn't pregnant.  Seriously???  How much can one person take????

Well, apparently I could handle a little more because when I finally got to the hotel, they gave me their last room.  A real gem of a room, located on the first floor, right by the main entrance, breakfast area (which started at 5am) and elevator.  Yes, so I didn't get much sleep that night.

So, I called my mom and my husband...I cried, I was angry and was feeling very sorry for myself.  Throwing a VERY large pity party.

The next morning I woke up and had even more trouble with my rental car (trying to charge me for a different drop off location) and my flight (the computer was not showing my reservation).  Ugh!!!

What happened next was the best part of the trip.  As I was leaving the hotel, I was checking my Garmin (trying to figure out where I was going) and heard the guy who had just left as well say, "oh, you've got a navaigation system?  Is it helpful?"  I made some dumb comment like, "Yes, but I would really like a Garmin to help direct me through my life."  He smiled at me and said, "You know, sometimes you have to just go with the flow.  Life is much easier if you do that."

His comment really got me thinking.  I smiled and thanked him for such great and timely advice.  He waved me goodbye and wished me a good day.  (I sort of wanted to run over and hug him, but that would've been totally weird.) 

I am not in charge...I should know that by now.  As hard as I try to control situations, there are just some instances in life that can't be controlled.  It's much better to accept that, than to stress about it, which I am guessing was this man's point. Sometimes, life is just about living and going with the flow.