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A Remarkable Airport Experience

From “A Course in Miracles” perspective, which is a personal spiritual belief system, this illusionary world we call our “reality” is a real trip. And speaking of trips, I recently took a small trip from Florida to Ohio for several days. To say the least, my airport experience was quite remarkable, so much so that I decided to share it with all of you.

To begin with, my flight was changed without my being notified. This left me with much less time than my original flight provided, so I was concerned about making it to the gate on time. So here is what followed the startling piece of information that my flight had been changed: to start with, when I placed my one check-in bag on the scale, I was informed that it was over the limit by four pounds. I asked them what I could do about that. They informed me I could pay them $80.00 (that’s $20.00 per pound!) or take out the four pounds. I thought it almost amusing that I could carry the four pounds with me, but they wouldn’t allow it in the luggage. Same weight, same plane……

It didn’t get better. I took out approximately 5 pounds and was then told I could put some of it back. I opted to keep out what I took out. But the bag was torn and I wasn’t sure how I was going to keep it all together. Next I got to ride in a device called a wheel chair. Now, normally I would never need such equipment, but I had fallen a few days before, and my leg injury prevented me from walking at a fast pace—and I definitely needed the fast pace due to the change they imposed on me. So, now we are flying down the aisles only to have to wait through several elevator stops to then get on the elevator required to get to the security gate to get to the boarding gate. Whew! I’m tired already!

Finally I get to the security gate. After putting all of the necessary items in the bins (computer, shoes, purse, jacket, etc.), I am pushed off to one side because I have been chosen for a “pat-down.” I am asked if I can stand okay, which I say I can, but they decide I should remain seated. I am then asked to put my arms out, lean forward, lean back, raise this, lower that. I felt like I had had an exercise workout while seated in a wheel chair. Finally that nonsense was over, and I got to retrieve my bin items, only to find that they had destroyed parts of my beautiful handcrafted purse. Beads were falling all over the floor and I am just thinking oh, no…..my beautiful purse is being destroyed! No apologies, no excuses. Live with it, I guess.

Next we now get to scramble to the boarding gate. Now mind you, if this was a direct flight, it would be exactly 1 hour and 55 minutes. However, we must do a connector flight (for what reason I have no clue) which ends up taking pretty much an entire day. How can it possibly be cheaper to have to print boarding passes and board two planes for such a short flight? How can that be? But anyway, I FINALLY make it to the boarding gate—barely—and then I get on the plane. The plane is miserably cold, but the clouds are magically beautiful. I try hard to distract myself from being so icy by watching all those puffy, white clouds. Finally, we land at the unscheduled “new” connector airport. Upon landing, I find that I have even less time and further to go to get the connector flight. The connector flight gate is four states away. So, once again, I opt for the wheel chair, realizing I have no choice. We get close to the boarding gate. They say “oh, she made it.” Then they tell me I’ll have to take an elevator to get to the place where I actually climb onto the plane. It reminded me of a grain elevator, not that I’ve ever really ridden in one. It was about the size of a rest room stall, perhaps a bit smaller, and it creaked and groaned all the way down. I was really pleased when we reached the floor without a crash. I was then asked if I needed assistance going up the stairs to climb into the plane. I said yes. (My carry-on and my over limit four pounds was pretty unwieldy by now.) Well, they carried some of the stuff up the stairs for me and I hung on the railing for dear life. As soon as I entered the plane, they shut the door behind me. So they held the plane for me, and I’m not even a celebrity! Wow!

When I finally reach my destination (which started well over seven hours ago), I am exhausted but delighted that I am done with the airport for a few days. However, when I reach my final destination, I open my suitcase to find that the plastic inside is now in many pieces, and everything is totally disheveled, rearranged, messed up, discombobulated—well you get the picture. What an exciting discovery that was. You gotta love those search people, though. They have a job to do. Yessiree, folks, they gotta go through the luggage. And boy do they EVER do their job.

As I reflect over this experience, I am mainly now just wondering what in the world all of those people in the airports did before we had cell phones, laptop computers, iPods and pull-along luggage. Concentrating on all of that is far better than reliving THIS experience!

And we think this is real. We think this craziness is reality. Whew! I’m glad to know that “nothing real can be threatened, and nothing unreal exists.”

I love the way you write, it must have been a very frustrating experience. Flying didn't used to be this way. Sad isn't it...

Hello...

Thank you very much for your kind comments! Yes, it IS sad indeed.

Wishing you a beautiful day!

Sincerely,
Oceana :)

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