Today I had lots of practice living in the moment. I traveled from Chicago to Pittsburgh and there were many interesting twists and turns, all providing me with opportunities to practice what I teach about learning to go with things that happen without resistance.

I wanted to see my boyfriend today before leaving town but I had too much preparation to do for my trip and ran out of time. This was the first opportunity. I could have felt cheated about this or frustrated but I didn’t. I simply realized there wasn’t enough time and that was neither positive or negative. It simply was the reality of the situation. I couldn’t change it, so I didn’t fight it or regret it.

Second opportunity came when I learned my already late flight was delayed. I could have lamented the fact that I would not be getting a very good night’s sleep the night before I had to work but I simply relaxed while waiting and read a very enjoyable book to pass the time.

The flight was uneventful when we finally did get in the air. Then I got my luggage from the turnstile and realized something wasn’t quite right with my new Samsonite four-wheel garment bag. It didn’t take long to figure out the problem was it was now a three-wheel garment bag that couldn’t sit even or be wheeled very effectively anymore. I could easily have gotten frustrated by this but I improvised an interesting roller arrangement and am hopeful Samsonite will honor its 10-year guarantee when I get back to Chicago.

I got in my car rental and was a little surprised to get a Dodge Patriot (SUV) instead of the economy car I ordered. I momentarily thought about the extra gas I would be paying for but was thankful for the bigger vehicle. As it turned out, I went through some serious snow squalls through the mountains on my way to the hotel and needed the 4-wheel drive feature. It took me three hours to get to the hotel, finally arriving at 1:30 AM.

This trip could have been aggravating for me in the past, but I was pleasantly surprised at how easy I felt about things. I am continuing to collect evidence that it really isn’t what happens to you that’s important; it’s how you respond to the things that happen.