I Got Stuck in the Airport for 2 Days & Am Grateful

Last week, one of the most annoying things that can happen while traveling happened to me. 

I got up at 4:30am to make it to the airport before my 6:30am flight. We all boarded the plane, left the gate, and got de-iced, only to turn back due to a technical issue. The flight ended up getting delayed until 8am, then 10am, then 1pm, and then cancelled. 

Normally, this situation would’ve left me feeling antsy and frustrated. Luckily, however, I was coming off a spiritual high that stayed with me through the tumultuous journey home. 

“Everything happens for a reason.”

“I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.”

“It’s all going to work out as it needs to.” 

These mantras were circling through my head on repeat. And while they’re things that I had repeated to myself many times before, this time was different. After receiving these messages from my guardian angels in a dream a few days earlier, I genuinely felt them in my bones. 

That made all the difference in the world. It allowed me to detach from the frustration that was written all over the faces of my fellow travelers. 

It was fascinating. While I sat at the gate, unbothered for seven hours until my flight was canceled, all I did was people-watch. No book was in my lap, no music was in my ears. 

I was completely absorbed by the spectrum of reactions around me. People were yelling to airline help center workers on the phone. People were asking the gate attendants for an update every 10 minutes. People were grumbling and huffing to themselves, rolling their eyes to communicate “this sucks so bad” when they caught another’s gaze. 

In short, the negativity in the air was palpable. 

It was also wasted emotion. Being miserable wasn’t going to get anyone home faster, but we tend to act like that’s the only option when things don’t go according to plan. 

This whole experience was a good reminder that it’s not, in fact, the only option though. Surrendering and even finding the silver linings can make all the difference in the world—at no cost. 

So, in the near-48-hour window from when I was supposed to arrive home originally to when I actually walked through my front door, I got into the habit of making a gratitude list along the way. 

Here’s what I came up with in that time: 

• 2 killer hotel workouts 

• Lots of comped meals (that were actually decent!) 

• Extra time to hang out with my brother

• Sauna & rooftop pool time 

• Comped stay at a 5-star hotel 

• Time to do my laundry so that I came home with a suitcase full of clean clothes

• Time to get a massage 

All in, not a bad way to kill some idle time. 

The combination of detaching and creating a gratitude list when things get hard is a practice I plan on continuing, for any and all bumps along life’s way going forward. 

It’ll only make them easier to get through.