I must make a confession. I am impatient.
In fact, I am the most impatient person I know. I’m not proud of it, but it is the truth—just ask those people who know me the best—my three children, my mother, and my teammates, Diane and Katy.
They are so loyal that you might have to torture them so get the truth out of them, but, trust me, they well know the impatient side of me.
Well, this weekend I was tested with my 10,000th lesson in patience. I just hate those life lessons sometimes, don’t you? You’d think I’d learn this lesson after a while so I wouldn’t have to repeat it so often. Apparently, I have a ways to go (ahem!).
Long story short, I went skiing in Colorado this past weekend and missed my first flight home – oh, yeah, very dumb but true. So I had to fly stand-by. Scary thought, huh?
Whew – I had no problem getting from Vail to Denver. But the second leg of my trip to Seattle was completely booked and, worse, overbooked. In fact, all the flights from Denver to Seattle were completely booked until late that night.
The United person told me there was no way I’d get on the next flight (or the next one after that) home.
Mad at myself, I said a couple of choice words, like “darn it!” or something close to that! J!
I went to the gate anyway. I waited and waited and waited for the next flight. Waiting for this impatient person doesn’t happen to be her strongest suit.
I picked up my stuff to leave to find another airline home.
But, some voice deep inside said, “Be patient, Leslie, just be patient and wait.” So for once I listened. I sat down to wait some more.
Then my heart sank. You know—that heart in your stomach feeling. They announced an overbooked flight and asked for 5 volunteers to give up their seats.
That was it. No point in sticking around. I picked up my stuff one more time to leave. I started walking away to try to find another way home.
But that voice piped up for the second time, “Leslie, be patient. Just wait.” So I sighed, put my stuff down, and plopped myself one more time back into my seat. I waited some more.
Another announcement: “We are still overbooked. We desperately need 5 more people to give up their seats.”
Okay, this time I couldn’t help myself, the tears sprung to my eyes. It was hopeless. Absolutely hopeless.
There was no way, no how, I’d get on that flight, and, not only that, now the next flight was overbooked as well, by ten people. I moaned out loud. I’d never get home.
I spoke to an agent, and she confirmed my fears. She said there was no way any stand bys would get on that flight, nor the next one.
Now I was totally down in the dumps.
For the third time, I picked up my stuff. This time I walked down the long corridor toward reservations to try to catch another flight home.
And then that pesky voice bugged me one more time, “Leslie, be patient. Go back, sit down, and just be patient.”
Amazingly enough, I listened. I walked back to the gate, sat down, and watched all the people board the plane.
I tried to stay calm, even if my hope had vanished.
The crowd of people disappeared on the plane, and there were a few of us stand-bys waiting. Just waiting—I still didn’t know why I was still there.
It was hopeless.
Then this woman gets on the loud speaker. She called someone’s name—not mine. That person didn’t show up. Then I hear, “Would Van Romer come to the podium?”
I couldn’t believe my ears. I sprung up out of that chair, and they hustled me down the walkway to claim that last seat on the plane. When I stepped aboard, everyone clapped and cheered—like I had done something extraordinary.
Well, to me, I had done something extraordinary. I had actually waited—something very difficult for me to do, especially with the odds facing me.
As soon as I settled in my seat, my eyes leaked one more time as I pondered the life lessons that I had just been gifted with:
#1: Listen for and listen to your inner voice. It speaks the truth. It will always guide you in the right direction.
#2: Be patient. Whether you are waiting for a plane or making healthy food and lifestyle changes (yes, always back to that—you, too, know me well), it takes time and lots and lots of patience.
You will get off track. You will take detours. You will get stuck in potholes. You will face mental battles. You will doubt. You will even give up. That’s a given.
Patience with yourself will help you rise to the challenge of getting back on track once again and enable you to thrive from better food and lifestyle choices, one baby step at a time.
#3: No matter what, no matter how hard things get, there is always hope—always.
You never know what lies around the bend—you just can’t see around bends. But you can hope.
So, my dear friend, if your goal is to be active and purposeful for a long life, then stay the course of health- and life-supporting choices.
Listen to your inner voice, be patient with yourself, and, as long as you are breathing, never, ever give up hope.
This time, your flight through life, not just a flight home, depends on it.
Dr. Leslie Van Romer is a health motivational speaker, writer, and lifestyle coach. Visit http://www.DrLeslieVanRomer.com for more inspiration.
Written By: Dr. Leslie Van Romer
