You know those Threshold Guardians on your journey of adventure… those naysayers and obstacles that appear just as you step off into the unknown?
As I’ve started my latest wanderings, they’ve only been increasing in their role to challenge my resolve at each new threshold checkpoint.
The purpose of these gatekeepers is to test your readiness.
Well, consider me tested!
In my most recent Threshold Guardian encounters, going from NY to LA on this leg of my adventure, my first flight was abruptly cancelled and had to try to reschedule to later that night…
Then I was late and running to catch the new flight, only for it to be delayed on the tarmac for three hours… in a thunderstorm.
Then told we had to go back to the gate because we had been out there too long.
Then told it was rescheduled from the 7pm to 4:23am… then back to 10:50pm (but it was already 10:15pm and many people had already deplaned).
Then it was cancelled all together, and we were told to go to claim our bags and reschedule for another flight.
Then… in baggage claim (after walking through the “doors of no return”) there was an announcement that if we could get back to the gate, our plane was taking off, and the doors were closing in a few minutes.
Then, while on live chat with the airline, they told me you can’t “un-cancel” a flight once it’s been cancelled, so the announcement was wrong.
I found my bag and rescheduled for the next day. It was now 11:40pm and thankfully, a friend came and got me from the airport, getting home by 1am.
The next day, I left for the airport again with plenty of time. But realized too late that I left my one warm piece of clothing behind, and I was heading to Australia… where it is still winter.
Then, upon going through security at the airport, I inadvertently left my good water bottle (full of water) in my backpack… (I was still exhausted from the previous day), and so it was understandably confiscated (and my things were wet).
Upon finally boarding this new flight, I sat down in my seat, ready for a 6 hour flight, and found out that the entertainment system to my row, and only my little row of two people, was out and not working.
So I went to plug in my phone to work/read/etc, and found that my electrical outlet was also out… AND I had left my phone charger back at my friend’s house anyway.
But… the flight attendants were wonderful! They charged my phone for me as we flew… and I arrived in LA safe and sound. Whew!
Those were some wild Threshold Guardians… But I kept my cool and laughed at the craziness unfolding. After all… these were fairly gentle tests of my resolve to proceed, while many others are facing catastrophic and heartbreaking Ordeals on their own journeys right now. So I am grateful.
And so… the journey continues!
Have you had wild run-ins with Threshold Guardians as you’ve taken a leap of faith and accepted the Call to your own Adventure?
Please share your threshold stories in the comments below!
Minding the Story 