I could not find my driver’s license one hour before leaving
for the airport. Mistake, mischief or mayhem?
Sometimes $#&@ happens. During our California trip, we
were not immune to accidents, mistakes … whatever you want to call it. However,
we were lucky because everything that happened to us was fixable.
Mistake number one happened before we even left our house. I
couldn't find my driver’s license one hour before leaving for the airport. My
mantra in life happens to be, “Everything is fixable.” While running around my
house, turning bags, drawers, and purses inside out, I was beginning to think
this accident was not fixable. The Transportation Safety Administration (TSA)
is paid to keep people without valid identification, like me, off airplanes.
Dean had a plan, which became my plan, grab my marriage
license, social security card and try to get past security with documentation
that is legal and valid. You might be thinking I should have located my
passport because that is appropriate identification. Unfortunately, my passport
is expired. Additionally, my maiden name is on my passport. The last time I
traveled with a passport was in the year 2000. So, needless to say, a passport
was not an option.
Back to my plan, Dean’s plan, our plan … We would go to the
airport and explain the situation If they didn't let me on the plane, then I
would stay behind, obtain a new driver’s license and take a later flight to
California. Dean would travel with the kids, by himself, on the original
flights we booked. Everything is fixable, right? Yes, everything is fixable,
but that didn't stop me from mentally beating myself up for losing my driver’s
license right before the trip we have been looking forward to all summer.
Needless to say, everyone in the Leisgang family made it
through TSA security. I worked hard to hold back tears when explaining my
mishap to numerous people. I have a gut reaction to shed tears anytime I happen
to be stressed. Sometimes the tears work in my favor. I think TSA officials
could feel my stress and pain. TSA security examined my “legal” documents
closely, but still needed photo identification. So, my school identification
and Sam’s Club card passed for photo ID and we made it through security. Relief
and genuine gratitude flooded my mind; followed by thoughts about what life
lesson should I learn from this experience. I haven’t figured out the life
lesson yet, but sometimes the best life lessons can’t be figured out until a
bit of time has passed.
Back to the original question, my lost driver’s license was
a mistake. I was not intentionally inflicting mayhem on my family sixty minutes
prior to leaving for the airport. Intentionally causing my family to freak out
would be mean and cruel. My lost license was not mischief. My lost license was
an honest mistake.
By the way, I did find my license when we returned to
Wisconsin. It was inside an envelope from the bank, on the floor of my car,
underneath a magazine. I wish I would have been thinking clearly when I
searched my car. Then, I could have avoided all this drama, or at least some of it.
