Today’s blog entry is from Steve Ellis. Steve is a member of Café RE.
Accepting Life on Life’s Terms
By: Steve Ellis
Accepting Life on Life’s Terms, January 19,2025
The Excitement of a Long-Awaited Trip
Sometimes, life has its own way of reminding us that no matter how much we plan, control is an illusion. This was one of those days. We woke up this morning, bright-eyed and excited, knowing the wife and I were taking a trip to Alaska from our home in Pennsylvania. The anticipation was palpable—we had been looking forward to this adventure for many months after Heather won the trip at a work event. Out trip package included Dog Sledding, two nights at one resort and another two nights at a ski resort near Anchorage with a Northern Lights excursion. What sealed the deal for us was two free round trip airline tickets were included in the package on Alaska Airlines from Philadelphia to Anchorage and back.
Weather Worries and an Optimistic Start
But as anyone who’s traveled knows, plans often change. And today, our travel story took a turn that no one could have predicted.
It all started with the weather. The forecast had warned us that conditions might be challenging because snow was predicted in our area calling for 3”-6” between 10am and 10pm typical weather prediction, but we figured we’d manage. After all, we were heading to Alaska, right? A place known for its unpredictable elements by its own right. But little did we know, the weather wouldn’t be the biggest hurdle of the day. Timing—good old timing—would take center stage. We left early enough to give us plenty of cushion for traffic and the elements. We left out house at 1:30pm for a 6:30pm flight.
Airport Delays and a Long Wait
We learned there was only one flight a day from Philly to Seattle connecting on to Alaska. However, the timing of our trip turned out to be much more than we bargained for. The check-in counter didn’t open until 4 p.m., two full hours later than we had anticipated. At least we weren’t in a rush, right? So we decided to grab a bite to eat. With 90 minutes to kill, we found a nearby place, hoping to relax before the flight.
After a satisfying meal without any alcohol and we had to sit at the bar, we returned to the airport with a little extra time on our hands. We checked in, handed over our bags, and received our boarding passes without a hitch. Feeling somewhat relieved, we proceeded through TSA and now found ourselves with another 90 minutes to kill before boarding.
We found a place to sit away from any bars, and noise. To pass the time I continued watching the Eagles game on my phone and Heather took the opportunity to nap.— We were in good spirits, knowing that, despite any delays we would remain calm and positive, we’d soon be boarding a plane headed for Alaska.
A Shocking Announcement at the Gate
Or so we thought.
After a few more rounds of game-watching and napping, we made our way to the gate. As we settled in, we got an unexpected announcement. Agent from the counter, would the Heather Ellis party come see me at the counter. We assumed it was a routine check-in, perhaps even an upgrade. But instead, we were told the most frustrating news: Agent, I’m sorry but your tickets aren’t valid.
Confusion and Frustration
How is that even possible?
Alaska Airlines had issued our boarding passes, taken our bags, and confirmed our flight. We had chosen our seats, ordered food, and were ready to go. How could our tickets suddenly be invalid? The agent didn’t have much of an explanation. She did try to help by contacting reservations. Despite our confusion, we were told we couldn’t board. They suggested we buy new tickets, but the problem was—our tickets were already purchased as part of a travel package. So, the idea of buying more tickets wasn’t just impractical; it was unnecessary.
After a lot of back-and-forth with the agent and even some conversations with reservations, we presented all our documents from the travel agent and vouchers ect. we came to a heartbreaking realization: there was no getting on that flight. We had no choice but to go home and, of course, this led to another round of frustration as we had to make our way to baggage claim.
The Journey Home in Disappointment
Another 45 minutes passed before we were reunited with our bags. Thank goodness for AirTags, or we might still be waiting to track them down. Once we got our luggage, it was time to figure out what to do next. Parking fees didn’t help the mood. We had already spent $28 for 7 hours of parking $65.00 for lunch and now we had to face the inevitable—driving home in snowy weather through traffic filled with possible drunk Eagles fans. Good times, right?
A Silver Lining in Sobriety
But as we finally got home safe, a bit angry and very disappointed, something dawned on me. I looked over at Heather, and I said, “You know, things happen for a reason. I mean, think about it—there was a time when we might have handled this very differently. Four and half years ago, we would’ve gone from terminal to terminal, hitting the bars, drinking away the time, pre-gaming for the flight. We would’ve made the situation far worse. I know I would have lost my shit at the agent, caused a huge embarrassing scene, might of gotten arrested for drunk disorderly conduct or worse. We would have had to drive home in the snow angry, drunk and yelling at each other. It would not have been a good.”
And that’s when I realized: in a way, today was a victory for my sobriety, I stayed calm, I kept it together. I didn’t get thrown off by the chaos, and because of that, I was still able to drive home safely. It was a true testament on how far I’ve come on my journey and how I’ve learned to except live on life’s terms.
Looking Ahead
We will get our chance to go to Alaska eventually.
Safe travels, everyone—may your journeys be smoother than ours!
Steve Ellis/ Blue/PA
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