The Joy of Missing a Flight

It was bound to happen someday. And it did - last March.

My wife, Ramona, and I were picked up for our trip to the airport. We allotted enough time to make our flight on a normal day. On this day, however, there were two accidents on the freeway. One of them slowed down traffic; the other closed the freeway for what seemed like hours.

Our driver tried valiantly to find alternative routes, but traffic just could not be avoided. We worried the entire way that we would not make our flight. Our minds were consumed with the thought that we would not make our flight. When we got into line to check in, there were only thirty-five minutes remaining before departure. “We’ll never make it,” I said.

Maintaining the cadence of the freeway, the line to the check-in counter moved slowly. The counter agent looked at her screen and told us we were too late to check our bags. Plus, all remaining flights were full with only standby available. Airline rules did not allow baggage to be checked unless there were confirmed seats for the passengers. After some discussion and a lot of smiling on our part, she said it was against the rules, but she would place the bags on the next plane. If we made the original flight, we would have to return to the destination airport to claim our bags when they arrived. We thanked her and ran to security.

Again, the rhythm of the day prevailed. When TSA was satisfied that Law of Attraction wasn’t code for “terrorist,” we ran to the gate. The gate agent told us the flight had been closed and our seats were given to someone else. We missed the flight and would have to see a customer service agent for rebooking.

Our manifestation had come true. Missing our flight was on our minds, and that’s what the Universe gave us.

Heading off to the customer service desk, we knew how a dog must feel with its tail between its legs.  The agent greeted us with a smile and asked how she could help. We asked her name. “Lois, as in Lois Lane,” she said. We laughed and said “Good. We need a Superwoman to help us.” Admitting it was our fault for not allowing enough time, we told her we needed to get to Michigan today. “Why are you going to Michigan this time of year? Don’t you know it’s cold there?” she quipped with a smile. We explained we had just made a presentation on the Law of Attraction in California and were flying to Michigan to conduct one there.

Try as she might, Lois could not find two seats for us on the same flight. She looked at several options and made phone calls to move things around so we could get to our destination. While on hold, she asked us about the Law of Attraction. We explained how we conduct our workshops and mentioned it is our way of giving back for the wonderful life we enjoy.

Lois asked if she could share something with us. She too has always believed in giving back. Her favorite charities are children’s hospitals. Two months ago, after a five-year hiatus, she played the lottery and won $40 million. Her coworkers expected her to quit work and live "the good life". But Lois is continuing to work and staying active. She enjoys being a customer service agent and helping people. And what was really exciting to her about winning the lottery was…now she could give real money to her favorite charities. The first thing she was planning to do with her newfound wealth is to present a children’s hospital with a large donation. Her pure intention brought tears to our eyes.

Through Lois’s diligence and determination, she obtained permission to place us both in confirmed seats on the same flight as our luggage. The whole experience left us energized. We thanked Lois, gave her a hug, and wished her well.

The Universe works in mysterious ways. Ramona and I had never met a lottery winner before Lois. If we had made our flight, we would not have had the joy of meeting Lois. What a wonderful woman, well-grounded, with a wonderful purpose in life. Thank you Universe and thank you Lois for being the wonderful, caring person you are.

Originally published in Meta Arts Magazine, August 2011.