So I just stated that I was determined to have joy during the journey, Sunday as a matter of fact. It was time for me to have joy during the hard things during the adult things. Time to face life with a smile. Hahaha since saying that talk about things trying to steal that joy. It’s been a crazy Monday and Tuesday already. First we start our work day off on Monday with many task to complete. This is nothing unusual, it is a Monday after all. I get started on those tasks and then my regular scheduled plans are interrupted to deal with an airline. Our Executive Director calls and informs me that they are unable to board their flight as the flight hasn’t been paid for. Um yes it has, ok so I think calm down this is an easy fix we will just call the airline we booked with. We call and then the first representative says no it’s been paid for and is of no help. We try to ask his advice on what our director should do and how should they handle this. Needless to say that got no where so we are on the phone again and the wait time is around 10 minutes before even speaking with someone. Mind you our Director is at the airport trying to check-in for their flight. Time is of the essence. Now they are stating that they need the card holder to go to the nearest airline counter we booked through. Thank goodness there is one at the DFW airport but still this is getting crazy. Still smiling I think fine we can do this once my husband’s plane lands at three but our director will still miss their flight. The airline graciously states they will try to find a flight for tomorrow. There is hope after hours of being on the phone with representatives thinking we fixed the problem only to find out we hadn’t. Joshua calls and it is during the time he is supposed to be in mid air returning from his speaking engagement. I said how are you calling me your in the air well at least that is what my flight view app notified me of. Haha funny thing Joshua wasn’t in the air he had problems at the airport where he was and was unable to make his flight. Right here I smiled again saying ok everything is going to work out and it is going to be great. I’m frustrated yes and I am a little overwhelmed but I’m still smiling. Time to call a representative of the airline that our executive was supposed to be on and is unable to make. I need to figure out all options wow there is one and it is that I can use a card to pay with as long as I show my credentials in person at the airline counter at the DFW airport. Great so I am headed to DFW airport after a long day of being on the phone. It’s getting good now but I’m still going to smile. I park at the DFW airport and that in itself is stressful. Construction is taking place at the terminal I needed to be at. I’m there and there are people in line so that makes me hopeful because there doesn’t have to be a representative at the counter until 3 hours before the flight. The people in the line are getting anxious. You could tell they were irritated I still insisted I was going to smile. I’m in the line and have no bags of course I stand out like a sore thumb so the lady in front of me begins to chit-chat with me. During this conversation she ask if I was flying, I state that I am not flying I’m here to pay for a ticket for our director flying. The lady behind me overhears this. I wasn’t keeping it a secret and I in my mind was going to let her go before me I just wanted to keep my place in case the line got too long. I in my mind figured they would have to call a supervisor anyway especially with the way my day had been going. I’m still smiling as I am going to do and I’m not fake smiling I truly am thinking about things that would make me smile. Instead of dwelling on how bad this could go I’m thinking if I just do what they have asked and advised then this will be taken care of and it will be smooth. Remember the lady behind me that I was going to allow to go in front of me yes her. The lines at the airport are wide and she stands beside me to chit-chat and then works her way in front of me. This began to get under my skin but I insisted and thought to myself this lady maybe like me and get nervous before a flight. I want to get through security and be at my gate at least an hour early. No matter what I’m not missing my flight. Maybe this is her so I will just let her keep pushing her way through. Boy was that a sight and at the same time I had compassion on her and honestly kind of sad because if you want something just ask. Needless to say finally a representative is at the counter to start helping those in line. I decided I already knew this lady had cut but let me tell her she can go in front of me anyway. I did and I made it to the counter. Was is easy to get everything taken care of no because at first the representative didn’t understand why they sent me to her but it’s ok because it all was worked out. Great and we had booked another flight for Tuesday for our director. Great I leave the airport and get in traffic (did I mention I avoid traffic like the plague) I know how do I do that in the metroplex. I go to work after 9 am and usually leave late or go on back roads to my house. I could tell the frustration was trying to steal my joy. Oh no I’m not letting this traffic after the day I had steal my joy. Awesome I am home and my husband should be home soon. I get a call from my husband and he says Crystal I was on standby and there wasn’t a seat for me. My eyes well with tears and my heart is broken but I began to laugh and thought I’m not letting this steal my joy as I will see him tomorrow. I go off to bed as it had been a long day.
Tuesday morning it is a new day! Well when you get woken up at 5 am from you director saying they will not issue the ticket for the same reason as yesterday it may not seem like a new day. Remember though I’m determined to go through this with joy, I went through this yesterday so it will be easier because I have traveled this road already and at least now I know what to do. Time to get up and wipe my sleepy eyes so I can face the day. First stop after I am ready pick up my husband from the airport as his flight is arriving early then we are off to the terminal I need to handle this business. We get there and there is no one at the counter but they do have a flight today and they should be at the counter in one hour according to their rules. We wait patiently on my husband’s birthday to take care of this. So the flight is handled by one airline and their co-share airline. I do what I am supposed to do at the counter and then I get confirmation from both airlines that the ticket is good and paid for. Awesome time to notify our director. I do so and they head back to the airport to check-in. Everything is good to go from here right. No, the ticket shows paid but it isn’t standard enough to issue a ticket, what does that even mean, oh my goodness. Remember I’m still going to do this with joy. I’m breathing sometimes you have to do that take a deep breath and realign yourself. I had to do that and then I smiled and thought about how this is going to go right I just need to make a phone call and get this all adjusted as I have followed all their (the airlines) rules. I call and the representative from the airline steps away to speak with a supervisor. This gives me hope as she is really willing to help me. She comes back on and states the only other thing that they may be missing is a coupon so they send that over to the co-share airline and we should be good to go. I called the co-share airline just to verify and they said good to go. I then inform my director please try again. They try again and they are able to make their flight. It’s almost like I could sigh with relief but honestly I knew that as long as I remained calm and with joy it would all work out. Whether they were able to board or not because my trust and joy is not from the things around me they are in God and He is constant. God is not wavering in His love towards us and He has our best interest in mind. Might it seem crazy in the moment and it was but I was able to have joy during the journey because I know the outcome is always for my good. Know that today that God has your best in mind and maybe there is traffic to keep you driving slow so that a car that would normally speed isn’t able to and it saves lives or etc. Who knows but God and trust Him. Trust He really does got this.
Crystal M. Holm 