Fighting At the Airport

We said our goodbyes and he pulled away from the curb. I don’t like saying goodbye to my husband, but on this particular early morning I was over-the-top excited to be flying to Missouri to visit our son at college.

I asked the nearest person in a uniform where I had to go for Allegiant Airlines.

“Allegiant? Terminal 3.” Wait! What?!

I was at Terminal 6!

My husband had dropped me off at Terminal 6!

“Yeah,” said the airport guy nonchalantly, “the internet is wrong.” Then he told me to cross through the parking structure to get to the other side of the airport which would put me at Terminal 3. He could have told me to walk to Mars and I would have heard it the same way—it seemed impossible to reach. I’m going to miss my flight.

I called my husband in a panic, “Can you come back? I need to go to Terminal 3.”

And the following is what transpired while we were on the phone:

“I checked the internet and it said 6,” Mike felt terrible.

“I know, the guy said it’s wrong on the internet. Can you get back here?”

“I’m trying, I can’t find a turnaround. There’s so much traffic.”

“Should I start walking?”

“Yes, you better. I don’t know if I can get back.”

“I’m going to miss my flight, but I don’t care, I’m getting to Missouri. I’ll pay for another flight if I have to.” At this point let me add that this is where I should have stopped talking. Definitely, at this point, I should have stopped talking. But did I? No, sadly, no.

I continued on, “Let the record show…

[Side bar: During stressful times it is never a good idea to lead with let the record show—anything that comes out of your mouth after that will be just plain nasty.]

“Let the record show… this is why I always ask you so many questions about things.” And the phone went dead. Did he hang up on me? Walking as fast I could with my big bag and wheeled carry-on luggage, I was now at Terminal 5, and still had a long way to go. I was certain I was going to miss my flight. Maybe I can stop a cab? Nope. I tried, the cab driver waved at me and drove off. Maybe I can just ask a stranger to drive me to Terminal 3? No. The only drivers I can see are male, and there’s no way I’m going to risk getting picked up by a serial killer! (Not that only men are serial killers. No offense, men.)

Still walking, I call my husband back, “Did you hang up on me?”

“No, I was asking someone for directions.”

[Another side bar: He even asked for directions trying to get back to me. If him asking for directions isn’t a sign of true love, I don’t know what is.]

Passing Terminal 5, I could see I had a long loop still to conquer, but when I could see Terminal 4, my hope was restored. It was then I told my husband he could head home and we said goodbye…again.

Okay, now, let’s recap… He drove me. He checked the internet. He asked for directions! I was getting to see our son. I was perfectly capable of walking. I had badgered him with my wise words, Let the record show… I was totally out of line.

After making it to Terminal 3, and then getting through security…I felt terrible for the way I had treated my husband. I called him again to ask his forgiveness, and before I could speak, he apologized to me. He apologized to me! Oh, this can’t be happening to me, I felt even worse. Not only was I wrong, but now, he was being kind when I had treated him so poorly. Even though I apologized profusely, it didn’t seem like enough.

What happened?

I allowed my emotions to rule me. Did I really need to call him when I realized I was in the wrong place? It was like I was stuck in a hole and I wanted to drag him in with me.

Have you ever noticed that sometimes when we are in a bad place we tend to want others to join us? Especially our spouse? I’m not going through this alone you’re comin’ with me! Why? Why do we do this? Well, I can only speak for myself, and for me, it was pure selfishness.

Another recap… I was getting to go on a trip, with a wonderful week ahead of me, and when something goes wrong, I drag my husband along for the “fun.”

Is it sometimes difficult to put others first?

Does putting your spouse before yourself feel impossible at times?

Join the club. It’s so easy to think of ME first. Daily, I need to make a conscience decision to not only think of what I want, but instead, consider those around me. Even when life throws me an airport curveball.

“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.”

Philippians 2:3

What a great reminder for marriage. And clearly for me.

And here’s the kicker ladies and gentlemen:

Do you want to know what I had been “questioning” my husband about prior to our airport fiasco?

Here it is:

My seat on the plane. Which he had booked for me by the way.

And I’d like to leave you with this:

While others were crunched up I could stretch out my legs as far as they could go. I had the best seat on the plane. And now I’m done.