It was around 4:00 AM as I left the hotel in downtown Portland, Oregon. Kathleen Gage’s (mentor extraordinaire!) Connection Experience was phenomenal and I was definitely still on an energy high. Great people, transformational (yet practical!) information and just an incredibly positive weekend. The driver of the shuttle bus was upbeat and pleasant, handling all of his passengers with care. My pilots for the flight back to Houston were also on my shuttle run. The day was off to a good start.
And then it happened. I approached the security desk and reached for my iPhone to present the boarding pass with my ID and there was no iPhone. Because my iPhone is basically an extension of my brain (at times I’m convinced it might even be stealing my brain!) that caused a moment of panic unlike any I’ve had recently. To fully appreciate that moment you might also need to know that my daughter (in Tulsa, Oklahoma) who is 8 months pregnant was at the doctor that morning and quite possibly going into the hospital to bring my next granddaughter into our lives and would be calling me. My first granddaughter was staying with my sister in Dallas while I was in Portland and I was picking her up on my return. I was to call them from the airport with arrival information. Can you feel the panic yet? Can you imagine the whirlwind of maternal emotion going on? I do not know when I have ever felt quite that disconnected from my little corner of the universe.
As I stood there at the gate waiting to board the plane, my mind was going in more directions than I could follow. And then it happened. I found peace. How? Because I blessed that moment and that situation. Kathleen spoke to us that weekend about the power of blessing our challenges and those words came to mind. Bless it. And I did. I prayed that the situation would be used for good and expressed gratitude that it had happened. I asked for guidance and wisdom to know what to do and how to do it. But most of all, I blessed the situation and found myself able to find a place of peace and gratitude. I was ready to see how the blessing would unfold.
Once I boarded the plane, I realized that I did have a means of communication after all – my net book. So out it came at around 30,000 feet. Something I had never done before. I knew the phone had to have been left on the shuttle bus because I used it to check the time. By using the card so graciously supplied by my shuttle bus driver, I was able to quickly go to their website and send a message to them detailing the situation. I got a confirming e-mail from them they had received my message. I forwarded the e-mail to my sister and then posted a message to her on Facebook (when all else fails.. FB to the rescue!). I was able to communicate with my daughter and let her know what was going on as well. There was no stress – only peace.
By the time I landed, my sister had spoken with the dispatcher who was in contact with the driver. He had my phone and was returning it to their dispatch office. They in turn sent it to me via Federal Express and at 08:00 the next morning, the Federal Express driver was handing me back my iPhone. Wow! All from 30,000 feet!
This was a powerful lesson for me in real life about what had been talked about in more abstract terms during the event. When we have those moments where the principle becomes so crystal clear it stays with us. When we are faced with challenges we need to be able to deal with them from a place of gratitude. To spark that emotion, the simple act of blessing the situation can be effective. For me it was a prayer expressing gratitude for the situation and the opportunity to learn from it. A prayer asking for guidance and then just following the path laid out for me. I had opportunities to express gratitude to real people as well. My sister, the dispatcher, the driver – everyone that stepped out of their normal routine to provide help.
I am grateful for Kathleen’s generous sharing of her own life lessons. So now it is my turn to pass it on to you. The next time you face a moment of challenge, give this a try. I’m convinced that like us, you will be forever grateful that you did. Bless it. Whatever it is. Bless it. Amazing things will happen.
P.S. As a footnote, if you are ever in Portland, Oregon and need local transportation, I highly recommend Blue Star Transportation. One good turn deserves another…
About Kathi Laughman
What a delightful story Kathi. And actually, the timing is perfect as I needed to read the very words I recommended. Amazing how life works. What goes around comes around. Your wonderful message came around with perfect timing.
I am so glad! I am convinced that there are no real coincidences… only lessons dressed as surprises!
Thanks for the story-reminds me not to panic! When I panic it takes up a lot of energy. You were able to stay calm and cool and it all worked out in the end. Or, you could have worried about it the whole flight home. Looks like that is one lesson you took away from the training. I’m sure there was many more. Sorry I missed it…October I hope.
Thanks for stopping by, Barb. Yes- directing our energy in a positive way is key. And yes – many many lessons that weekend. One of the best events I have attended in a long time. Hope to see you at the October Connection Experience!