Whelp.
I am writing this from the middle seat of a flight to Jacksonville, FL, one row behind my tween daughter who is also in a middle seat…
And it is ALL MY FAULT.
You see, Bella was invited to join her good friend’s family on a beach vacation this week, but she came down with a virus and couldn’t leave with them the day of their departure.
Not wanting her to miss out on a great trip just because the kids she camp counsels are petri dishes of the plague, I offered to fly down and drive over to their beach house, deliver her there and fly back.
Being the avid traveler I am, this did not seem taxing in the least. In fact, I booked Bella and I a convertible for the drive from the airport to the house to add some extra special fun time.
Our flight was to take off around 1.30 pm and land around 3 and then I was to return in the evening to go home.
So we headed to the airport, snagged some snacks and walked to our gate.
As we approached, my stomach sank.
My face turned red.
And I realized my mistake.
Instead of Jacksonville, FL, I booked Jackson, MS.
Doh! I was rushing to get these plans set in a few minutes this AM and didn’t take time to read the details. It goes right along with the bottomless receipt pit I shared yesterday.
Details are my nemesis.
My eyes and brain just don’t see them.
We asked the gate attendant if Southwest had a flight to Jacksonville, FL and she shared they did, at 10:25 pm tonight.
Whelp that wasn’t going to work either.
So we went and found our options and Delta had a direct flight leaving in 2 hours and I would get back in time for the return flight.
I booked that while Bella canceled our other flight on my behalf and we were all set.
Albeit with a little less of my dignity in tact.
And what do you take from this lesson regarding stories of details missed and flights made?
I didn’t allow a mistake to create my future. Instead of standing in the paralysis of a problem, I sought a solution.
Yes, she got there two hours later and yes a flight booking within 1 hour of flying is not cheap, but there was a solution we could utilize, so we did.
Sometimes, that is what we have to do…
Get out of the muck and create our own luck.
For where we go next (literally and figuratively) is our own problem.
Whatever happened to you in the past for your business does not predict your future. It simply is your past.
You get to decide where you go next.
Cheers,
Kim “Yup, I Did It” Walsh Phillips
