My dramatic lesson on 'patience'

The most dramatic day of my recent sojourn in NY was also my last day in the Big Apple. At 6pm I was set to leave home to catch the 9pm Greyhound bus for my next destination. Just then I received a phone call from a family friend who said she had a parcel for my aunt. She delivered the parcel just before 7pm, so time was on my side.

I started taking out my luggage, first suitcase out, then second one. In trying to place the second one outside, I heard a loud bang. As I turned around, it dawned on me that the irreversible had just happened! I had locked myself outside, with my handbag and laptop bag still inside the house.


I searched my winter jacket for the house keys. They weren’t on me. The good news is that I found my mobile phone. I called my host who was at work. She said she will get back to me. Five minutes, ten minutes, I started making positive affirmations, thanking God that everything will go as planned. Trying not to blame the family friend. At one point I walked towards the lift and hit the button, just to visualize myself getting into it with the suitcases and leaving. Twelve minutes, and I couldn’t take it anymore.

I called my host. She said she had just asked the family friend (who was on her way to work) to drive to her cousin’s house not too far away to get the spare keys. I sat there wondering why this was happening to me. Is it because I skipped the dinner offered by our Ambassador in honor of the PM? It wasn't as bad as it seemed since I could always take the midnight bus but I wanted to take the 9pm bus!

As destiny would have it, the family friend brought the key at 8pm and this time, I made sure the keys were IN MY POCKETS until all my luggage was outside before I put the key on the table to exit.

As I stepped out of the house, I was already dreading the absence of escalators in the NY subway. Somehow, I trusted that all will be well. I met this guy in the subway who helped me with one of the suitcases all the way to the last but one train stop. As I got to the Port Authority, two guys approached me to help me with the luggage, they said they won’t charge me but they would like to have my phone number in return. I smiled them off and moved on.

And then! Another long staircase! Solution? Move the suitcases one after the other. Midway with the first one, I missed my step. I tumbled down as I gradually lost my balance. I think in the process I was hoping I wont lie flat completely, but I did. At least I didn't hurt myself. This reminds me of the poem that ends with "...and Jill came tumbling after". (Jack and Jill.)

There is something magnificent about falling. Somewhere in the middle you think you will gain balance but you just keep going down, down, down. It also feels like the endless pit dream. I wonder if that is what happens in near-death experiences.

A gracious lady and a kind man helped me up and took all the suitcases right down the stairs for me. Once again, falling was not such a bad thing; my suitcases were majestically taken down by passersby sent from Heaven. And then, at the point of boarding, another man offered to take the bigger suitcase into the bus, and I obliged. All these courteous people, sent from Heaven, on a day I thought I will miss my bus.

As I got on the bus, I heaved a sigh of relief as I thanked God for my so far so good. I thought the drama part of the trip was over. We got to the first service area on the trip and everyone went for a bite and a pee. Interesting to note that I was the last person to board. I took my time getting the ketchup and the mayonnaise that the bus almost took off without me. I sprinted as the bus had already gone some distance when I caught up with it. I thanked the driver and settled to have a good night’s meal.



Lessons:
- Never leave your spare keys in the house
- Make positive affirmations even in the most frustrating circumstances (that is what I call unwavering faith)
- Never underestimate what people can do for you when you agree to carry their parcels especially across the oceans.
- Relax, God works in mysterious ways, experience Her in the little miracles as well as the great ones.
- One of the reasons we make mistakes is to be able to avoid them
- Patience pays, sometimes the rewards come faster than you expect