Embracing the Unexpected: A Lesson in Letting Go

Not long ago, I had a travel experience that taught me a valuable lesson about letting go of control—something I think we can all relate to.

I was set to fly to Boston at 9:15 AM on a Thursday morning. Living in Chicago, I knew I needed to leave by around 7:30 AM to navigate the 30-45 minute drive to the airport. So, at 7:05 AM, I booked an Uber, expecting it to arrive in ten minutes or less. Five minutes later though, my ride got canceled. I tried to rebook, only to discover there were no drivers available. This was especially surprising since I’m used to rides being just a few minutes away in the city.

After a brief moment of frustration, I restarted the app and even my phone, convinced it was a glitch. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t. I then switched to Lyft, which was supposed to arrive in 11 minutes but took over 16. By now, it was past 7:45 AM, and I was staring down the rush hour traffic.

As I sat in the car, my mind raced. If I made it to the airport by 8:45, I’d still need at least 15 minutes for security, and the departure gate, C22, was far away. Should I call United and book a later flight? Who should I inform at work?

Just when I felt overwhelmed, a wave of calm washed over me. A little voice in my head said, “Let go. Stay calm and see how this plays out.” It was a new perspective for me, almost like a mini-adventure. So, I fully embraced it, plugged into my favorite podcast and tried to push the anxiety aside.

When I finally arrived at the airport, I glanced at the clock: 8:43 AM. To my surprise, the security line was almost non-existent—something I’d never ever seen at O'Hare. I breezed through and made my way to C22, arriving at 9:04 AM, just in time to board with group 4. I couldn’t believe it—I made it!

This felt like a small miracle. I do genuinely believe that the moment I let go of control, things started to align in my favor. Letting go of control has always been a struggle for me. I like to and find comfort in managing my surroundings and planning for every possible scenario. It’s how I cope with uncertainty, but it can be exhausting.

Over the past few years, I’ve been working on this very intentionally, I have made progress but I am definately still a 'work in progress'. As I reflect on this, I’m grateful for the unexpected lessons that come our way. Life can be unpredictable, but embracing that uncertainty can lead to surprisingly positive outcomes.

So, if you ever find yourself in a tight spot, remember that sometimes, letting go can open the door to new possibilities. You might just find that everything worked out even better than you expected in the end!