Day 38

"The only people with whom you should try to get even are those who have helped you."

John E. Southard

Days in which one travels are never too easy. Definitely not for me. I'm a worrier. Worried I'll forget something, worried there will be traffic, that the flight will be delayed...or even cancelled! I know. It's awful. It's pointless. As my brother would've said..."Worrying is like a rocking chair. It'll give you something to do, but it won't get you anywhere." Very true, Bubba...but I can't help myself. It's part of who I am.


And I was worried about this trip to Chicago. I was so excited and it was so important to me that I was in worry overload. I think he fact that both Mike and Kat were out of the house and I was all alone was also a big factor. No one to bounce ideas off of, no one to run a checklist by (I'm a huge fan of those). Did I pack the right clothes, Will I get everything done at work and covered for my absence, and, most importantly...will I get parking at the airport? I had been planning on driving myself there and parking at a satellite lot that Mike and I often use. However, when I ran the quote, I was a little shocked by the price. Turns out they charge 3 times as much on holiday weekends. Whereas I can afford $5 a day....$15 a day was a bit too much. There was a risk of Lot C at the airport being full and no way I could find to check the status on that anyway. I was down to the Flyaway bus being my only option....when all of a sudden, I get a text from my friend Jenn. It read...


"If I'm done with work in time, I'll come take you to the airport."


Out of nowhere.


She didn't know I was stressed about it, she didn't know I was concerned about how much parking or the flyaway would cost...she just offered. Out of the goodness of her heart. Because she knew that she had a friend in need...even when I didn't know how to ask for help. 


What's more? My friend Sonia came over the evening before my trip and I told her about the sweet offer. To which she replied..."Oh, well, if it turns out she can't take you, I'm heading that way and am more than happy to drop you off!" What?! I went from stressing out and being alone in this problem to having two rides to the airport?! If you don't live or frequent LA, you may not realize that taking someone to LAX, especially from the valley, is quite a feat. Its a long trek, usually in awful traffic. 


See, that's the funny thing. It never crossed my mind to ask a friend to take me. I guess I thought I was on my own. I didn't want to put anyone out. It was my trip and my problem to figure out. But here were two people who offered to help without being asked. Who volunteered their time. Who were there for me before I even realized it. 


It turned out that Jenn wouldn't be able to make it and I texted Sonia just about an hour and a half before we needed to leave. "Can you still take me?" And she was at my door, early, enthusiastically, with bells on! What followed was quite an adventure with wrecks on the 405, cop cars stopping traffic, a real panic of missing my flight, and general craziness....but we got there. And rather than being in the middle of all that drama by myself...I was with a dear friend. Someone who kept me calm the whole way, who was there to laugh with me. After all was said and done, we got there. On time. And all the worry was over. I was on my way.


Day 38: I am so incredibly grateful to Sonia for taking me to the airport, for making what would have been a stressful afternoon into a wonderful hour of hang out time with one of my best friends. I am grateful for the act of kindness. I am grateful to have not only one, but two friends who reached out when I didn't even realize that I could or needed to ask for help. I'll try to remember that next time. Remember that I don't always have to do everything on my own. That its ok to ask for help. And that sometimes when I can't or don't know how to or don't even realize that I need to, I'm grateful to have exceptional friends who step in to lend a hand. It was a very nice surprise beginning to what would prove to be a wonderful weekend. Thank you ladies, from the bottom of my heart.