On the brighter side!

I was reminded once again that life often comes down to your attitude. I flew back to the East Coast two weeks ago after spending a week with my son helping him drive his car to California. When we arrived at the Las Vegas Airport and I had to leave, I was not in the best of moods. The time flew by and I was not ready to come home. I hugged my son goodbye and walked into the airport in full Oscar the Grouch mode.

First, let me say, I needed a coffee, but that would have to wait.

I quickly made my way to the airline counter and then off to face those dreaded Transportation Security Agents (TSA), the security screening process created in the aftermath of the 9/11 that passengers in the U.S. have to pass to get on an airplane. I soon learned that Sunday is a busy travel day. I was at the airport in plenty of time, but I still felt the pressure building up inside of me. Oh, I’m going to be late. What will happen if I miss my flight? When will I ever get back home? I guess I better text my wife now, hours in advance, that I’m going to be late.

The joys of waiting in line

I watched as the line zigzagged slowly one way then another, cursing myself for not stopping to get a coffee first. The line was a melting pot of unhappiness. One couple, who I assumed had gambled a little more than they had planned, looked like they needed a long nap. If not a nap, then definitely a heart to heart conversation. They did not look happy with each other. A bunch of twentysomethings, with their pants hung low on their wastes and their hats worn backward, kept pushing and shoving each other. I just wanted to get to where I needed to be and be on my way.

Finally, I got to the front of the line. A woman in dark blue pants and a light blue shirt and a headset in her ear waved me ahead to wait in a second line. Oh the joys. A new line. Lucky me. After another wait, I got to the TSA agent, all to be told to wait again that the agents doing the physical screenings, the luggage and metal detecters, were backed up and we needed to give them time.

The straw that broke the camel’s back

I’m not the kind to make small conversation, I usually keep my head down and my thoughts to myself, but my sarcasm broke, “Oh, aren’t you the lucky one to get stuck with me! What happened? Did I break the well-run machine?” My humor must have hit the guy at the right time, because he smiled at first, making sure I was trying to be funny and not a jerk, and broke out into a belly laugh. He shot back, “Yup you broke it, you did it, you may as well turn around and go home, we’re all going to be waiting now.”

He pointed at me to the other passengers waiting in line like they should blame me. The fact that he came back with something other than a stoic, robot like grimace surprised me. Next thing I know we were talking and joking like acquaintances, if not friends. I said the line couldn’t get any longer. He joked that it most certainly could. Finally, I said I flew out of Philadelphia. He had just relocated from Philadelphia. If we weren’t friends before that, we were now.

When another TSA agent came up to tell the people in line right in front of me, that I was waiting to get into, to move, he joked with her to watch out for me, that I was a troublemaker, who wouldn’t listen, and would probably slow them down even more. She laughed and responded she wanted no part of me.

Yes, me a troublemaker. For a few minutes at least, there was a few laughs at the craziness of life. Life can be hard. It can also be easier if we let it. It’s been said before, but it’s true: Look for the good.

Images by Pexels.