I Just Want to Get Home
I had flown to Toronto recently for a business trip. The traveling there was so smooth: my flight was on time, no one was in the seat next to me, and getting through Canadian customs was a breeze.
The trip home, however, was a very different story.
I was warned from my friends in Canada that leaving Pearson Airport could take up to five hours to get through security and customs. I was skeptical, but also didn’t want to take any chances. I had a 10:30am direct flight home to Hartford CT. I got to the Toronto airport at 6am and was shocked to see hundreds and hundreds of passengers already standing in the security line.
I was greeted by a very official woman in a blue suit standing. She motioned me down a long corridor to a “holding room” because there were already the maximum 500 people in the security line and the terminal was at capacity. I was directed into a large open lounge where another hundred people were standing and waiting.
Within 20 minutes, we were told it was our turn to proceed to the security queue. All of us slowly moved toward the line. It was like Disney: ropes kept us organized and in single file, and then zig-zagged around the corner and into an entirely separate room, only to wind around and bring us back to where we started. It took two hours to finally get to the point where it was my turn. I looked at my watch. It was almost 9am. My flight was only 90 minutes away.
As I approached the security table, I placed my briefcase in one bin, my laptop in another, and my carryon suitcase in a third. I removed my watch and shoes and walked through the screener. I was relieved when I got to the other side with no issue. But then I watched as my suitcase was flagged and taken away by an airport official.
I panicked and tried to remember what I could have packed that would have gotten me stopped. A very annoyed worker put on fresh latex gloves, unzipped my suitcase, and started unpacking it one item at a time. She was moving at the pace of a turtle. I could feel my heart racing. I looked at my watch. It was 9:17am. I only had an hour. I just want to get home was all I could think.
After taking my tweezers out of my bag and deciding they were acceptable, the woman jammed everything back into my bag and told me— with no empathy— that I had to go back through the screener to re-check my suitcase. My heart sank. I zipped up my suitcase, carried my shoes, and walked back to the other side.
Like Groundhog Day, I put my briefcase in a bin again, did the same with my carryon, sent my shoes through , and walked under the screener. This time, my briefcase set the alarm off. I was quietly imploding. Of course, that’s when I realized I had forgotten to take my laptop out of it.
I had to go back through the screening process again.
I made it to the customs line at 9:35am. I was sweating. As you can imagine, all the people who had just gone through security were now in the customs line in front of me. I was slowly making my way through the zig-zagging when my phone buzzed. It was the notification that my 10:30am flight to Hartford CT just got canceled.
And it was rescheduled for 10:30am tomorrow.
I just wanted to get home. I didn’t want to stay over another night. And I certainly didn’t want to come back to the airport and do this again in the morning.
The good news: I found a flight that would depart in an hour and I booked it. The bad news? It was going to Boston, not Hartford. That’s okay, I thought. At least it gets me closer to home.
I called Kim to let her know my flight had been canceled and rescheduled, but that I’d be flying into Boston so I’d be a little late. Good thing Kim realized that my car would still be sitting in Hartford. She said she’d go get my car in Hartford and I confirmed I could Uber home from Boston.
I knew the Uber would be expensive. But I also knew it was my most direct chance back.
My flight to Boston from Toronto was an hour. When I landed, I was surprised to learn it was 99 degrees. It was sticky and muggy. I ordered an Uber and the driver arrived within 6 minutes in an old, worn Prius.
I noticed right away that all his windows were down. The driver was sweaty, but very friendly. He put my bag in the trunk, got into his seat, and then apologized for not having air conditioning. I was traveling in jeans and a light sweater— dressed for breezy Canada, not this 99 degree Boston heat.
As he drove toward the highway and accelerated, the hot, dead air started blowing everywhere. My driver was traveling 50mph in the middle lane. Cars were flying past us on either side. According to my Uber app, at this slow speed I would not be home for 3 hours. I felt frustrated and impatient. I finally asked the driver if he could go faster. He seemed surprised by my request and asked how fast I’d like him to go. I shared with him that the speed limit on the highway is 65.
That’s when he stated enthusiastically that he had never been on this highway, that he was new to Uber, also new to the United States, only 21 years old, and had actually never been out of downtown Boston in his Prius before this ride. He also shared that he was really looking forward to our “nice long ride” together. I immediately felt like a jerk for being so impatient and bothered.
He picked up speed and locked in cruise control at 64mph. We were on our way.
I opened my briefcase to grab my water bottle. That’s when I saw a book that I had picked up on my business trip. The title was “Not Being Bothered” by Dan Sullivan. How ironic.
The premise of the book is about becoming more aware of how often the little things in life bother us. In the book, Dan teaches simple techniques for how not to be so bothered by these things in life. (BTW: The book is excellent.)
In that moment, I laughed out loud— at myself, at the scene, and at my unnecessary desperation to get home. What was my rush, anyway? I took a moment to breathe. I realized I was really in no hurry. Whether I got home at 4:30pm or 5:30pm, it wasn’t going to significantly impact my life. At all.
When I finally chilled out, I was also able to feel a sense of gratitude. Here was this young man, totally unfamiliar with the area but willing to drive me all the way home on a very hot day with no air conditioning. I suddenly felt relaxed. Sweaty, but relaxed.
And I was no longer bothered.
Have you ever had one of those moments where you were so annoyed by things not going your way, that your reaction was a bit over-the-top, frustrated and angry, and you realized later that maybe sweating over the small stuff (pun intended) isn’t worth it. It’s usually not helpful, nor healthy.
I finally got home at 5:30pm. My driver couldn’t have been nicer. I got to hear his family’s story about moving to the US from Pakistan in the hopes of a better future. I learned that his father and brother were also Uber drivers. The young man was excited to tell his family about how far he had ventured out of Boston on that day, and how beautiful Western Massachusetts was.
After he unloaded my bag, he shook my hand and told me it was a pleasure having me as a passenger. I tipped him and thanked him for his dedication to his job and for getting me home safely. I promised to rate him 5 stars on Uber. He was so proud! He did not seem bothered at all by the long drive he just completed, nor the long, hot return trip he still had in front of him.
Grateful to be home, I realized that I, too, was no longer bothered by the craziness of my day.
Keep this story in mind as you take on the holiday season. It’s highly likely that you’re going to be bothered by long shopping lines, no parking places at the mall, your Christmas lights not all working properly, and delayed shipping of your Amazon packages. When you find yourself in that moment of frustration, remember the patience of my Uber driver. Remind yourself about the real reason for the season. And consider that being bothered doesn’t really serve anyone, does it?
This Week’s Resources
Not Being Bothered
If this story hit home for you, you might benefit from reading Dan Sullivan’s book on the subject. It’s helpful, humbling and very insightful. Not Being Bothered
Start the New Year Healthy
Are you someone who likes tracking your workouts, paying attention to your daily step count, and monitoring your health? Or maybe you are the opposite, and want to take your overall health more seriously? Either way, check out this innovative new software called Guava Health. You can track all things health-related in one handy place! Guava Health
29 Holiday Travel Tips
Already anxious about holiday travel? Maybe you have loved ones coming in to spend time with you over the next few weeks? Looking for some smart ideas and pointers? We could all use travel tips, and this article offers 29 of them! 29 Holiday Travel Tips
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