Yesterday I landed in Mexico, a week in advance of the Baptist Peace Fellowship conference I’ve been looking forward to all year. Planning to meet a friend in Mexico City before proceeding to a writing retreat at the ocean, I booked a one day stopover in the city. When his plans changed last minute and he canceled our meeting, I tried to cancel my layover, anxious to start my retreat. When that proved impossible, I hailed a taxi to the city and looked for something to do near my B&B. I succeeded in getting lost, drenched, and ill in the process. It seemed my peace work for the day was learning to accept life’s disappointments.
In our own ways, we all have to overcome challenges to our daily inner peace.
When I returned to the airport the next day for my scheduled flight, they’d overbooked it and told me I’d have to fly the next day. I have to admit I was not at all peaceful upon receiving the news! Disappointment upon disappointment! Lovely as it is, I’ve already been to Mexico City; I’ve seen all the main sites, and I didn’t feel settled enough, between trips to and from the airport and from lodging to lodging, to write. I was angry at the airline for overbooking, and for not confirming my seat when I asked them to reschedule my flight yesterday. I was angry at myself for not checking in online. I was frustrated by the travel agent, which couldn’t find me an alternative flight, and the insurer, which would only cover the extra hotel and taxi expenses to get me back to the airport. I was stranded in the boonies, had to incur extra expenses to redeem my lost time, but most importantly, didn’t they understand that time is the most precious commodity, and with limited vacation days, is irreplaceable? It seemed that my lesson in accepting life’s frustrations was to be longer and harder than I wished.
I finally accepted my extended sojourn in Mexico City and determined to have a wonderful day. To me, that means live music and dancing. After googling for an hour, I found a place that was open Sundays and wrote down the address. I went to the historic city centre for a stroll first, giving thanks that the threatening rain had held off. I didn’t get further than the façade of the Basilica before torrential rain fell and lightening flashed. Braving the elements, I tried to be first in line to flag a cab, but after fruitless attempts I ran for cover in a shop. The shopkeepers were friendly, and helped me buy an umbrella from the traveling saleswoman (she would do good business today!). Still, I waited under cover 30 more minutes before braving the elements again. To my delight, Tina was my driver.
My limited Spanish skills are a hindrance, but it’s amazing how much you can communicate with gestures, smiles, and 200 words. Uber driver Tina said that life is good here if you have a job, but very difficult if you don’t. 60 years old and single, she gets by driving; there are no jobs and few social services for people her age.
It’s amazing how much you can communicate with gestures, smiles, and 200 words.
To Tina, peace means having a job, a home, and enough money for food. It means good and honest people; her ex-husband, Mexican drug lords, corrupt officials and dangerous cab drivers destroy peace. Two of her daughters have found peace, love, and good lives in Europe. She got out their photos, and the photo of her granddaughter, as she told me about her family. And Tina helped bring me peace in my frustrations of the day, by driving me to a music hall to forget my troubles, then returning to drive me safely home.
When life is difficult is when you most need peace. So while my coveted peace retreat started with two days of frustrations, I learned to adjust my attitude and accept the gifts of the moment – an umbrella vendor, learning to dance cumbia, and meeting Tina. I don’t compare my “first world problems” to those who are unemployed in Mexico, but in our own ways, we all have to overcome challenges to our daily inner peace.
Try to change the circumstances which should be changed, but when you cannot change circumstances, change yourself. Be grateful for the gifts God offers in your hour of frustration, recognising that one of them might be inner growth.
Try to change the circumstances which should be changed, but when you cannot change circumstances, change yourself. Be grateful for the gifts God offers in your hour of frustration, recognising that one of them might be inner growth.
- Log in to post comments