Meandering

Yesterday at church the sermon was called "Meandering". Without getting into the religious-sounding aspects of it, what I took away from it was that I might enjoy life more if I just relax and let things happen rather than trying to control every aspect. Sometimes it's better and healthier if things don't go according to plans. (Ok, he didn't say "relax". He said spiritual growth occurs when life isn't going according to plan and quite often this is actually a very painful time in your life but it's when the most growth occurs. (But you know I'm an optimist, so....))

I guess the lesson must have really sunk in because I had an 11:50 flight out this morning and I knew the moment I woke up that there was no way I was going to make it. Don't ask me why. There are various reasons, but sometimes I am just so overwhelmed with the amount of "stuff" I have to get done that I don't do any of it, and I knew this was going to be one of those days.

So around 9:00am I called our travel company and asked to reschedule my flight. The woman I got refused to even check on it. Apparently customer service on short notice wasn't her thing. You know those people who are great crisis managers who could get you out of a third world country just after a terrorist attack? She's not one of those people.

I got off the phone and pushed through trying to do my errands, hoping that maybe somehow I would make it in spite of myself. Around 10:30 I called the travel company again. This time I got a guy named Dustin who has helped me out in the past and who, I remember, is AWAYS helpful and positive. But even he couldn't get me out of this one. "If you miss your flight to Denver" he said, "you won't get a flight to Rock Springs (Wyoming) until 2:45 pm tomorrow". Well, that's no good because I have a a meeting tomorrow at 9:30 am. I told Dustin not to do anything yet.

I called the customer I have a meeting with and tried to reschedule. I couldn't get him. I left three voice mail messages. Finally out of desparation I got a receptionist to interrupt him in a meeting. He sounded annoyed but he said he would check his schedule. It started to sink in that if I reschedule and piss this customer off there may be repercussions in sales & marketing that will reverberate back to me. Could I lose my job over this? Over one lousy, "my sense of time is malfunctioning" day? I don't know but I think I'd better give Dustin another try and see if we can't make a miracle happen. I called the travel company back and this time I specifically asked for Dan.

"What if I fly to Salt Lake City?" I asked. "Could I get there tonight?" Dustin checked. After about 30 minutes of calculations and negotiations he got me a one-way ticket to Salt Lake City, a one-way car rental to drive to Rock Springs where I would drop that car off, exchange it for an SUV, and keep the same flight back on Thursday. Holy.....

I breathe a sigh of relief and disbelief. I can't believe it, but somehow I can believe it. I'm going to make my meeting. I'm not going to reschedule it. I'm not going to piss anyone off or be fired.

Now THAT is what I call SERVICE. "Thank you" I said, "you have been an ANGEL today". If I had a job to offer Dustin I would have hired him in a heartbeat. I should at least send him a fruit basket, but I don't know his last name. I vow to myself that when I get a chance I'm going to find out.

When I started meandering, I thought I'd lose my motivation to be a top performer. But Dustin's performance and dedication to his job somehow lit a fire under me. I decided right then and there that I would be more motivated on this project. If he was willing to do all of that just to get me there, then I owed it to him to do my best too.