Sometimes we wonder “why.”
Why did this happen to ME?
Today’s plan: fly to San Diego via Chicago.
Reality: 3 hour mechanical delay, get off the ground finally for Chicago and they close O’Hare due to weather, we get diverted to Milwaukee for fuel, and the crew times out.
Bonus trip: Milwaukee!!!
Bright side: I am not travelling with small children, I have water and food, I do not HAVE to be in San Diego today like those who missed birthday parties, wedding rehearsals, and a funeral.
But, I wondered why me falling asleep in Milwaukee instead of San Diego.
Most times we never get an answer to a question like that.
I did.
I sat on my flight to Phoenix ( best option to get to San Diego on day two) between two good friends. They did the old “book the two outside seats because no one wants to sit in the middle” move. They were wrong as the flight was full and so I sat there. I gave them an option to sit together but they said no.
We talked about everything, as three women have a tendency to do. It came up one of them just lost her job and she was reeling from the impact and confused as to what to do.
I told her my story and told her she needs to give herself permission to live her life for her. She started to cry. She needed to hear those words and I got to deliver them because I got diverted yesterday.
I believe the Universe is constantly conspiring on our behalf. I am not sure if someone else would have sat in my seat and did the same thing. I’m not sure if there would have been anyone sitting there at all if there hadn’t been dozens of us put on the plane to Phoenix because of the grounded flight. What I know for sure is that my 36 hour travel time to San Diego was easier to take knowing I had a positive impact on a stranger sitting beside me in the airplane.
I wish I could promise never to ask “why me” in the future when things go wrong after seeing such a clear reason this time. I can’t. I do hope that this will take the sting out of it next time knowing that everything has a reason, we just sometimes don’t get to see it.