A Shift in Perspective Can Make all the Difference
by Julie Bisbee
Expectations and perspective are powerful forces. Our opinions on how things should go is often colored by our life experiences, our personal standards and preconceived notions. A recent trip to Washington D.C. with my youngest son and his 5th grade classmates reminded me that everyone’s perspective is different and sometimes surprising.
The trip’s jam-packed itinerary was a marvel of efficiency, carefully orchestrated to maximize each moment in D.C. There were monuments at dusk, a speed round through the National Archives and Smithsonian Museums, a somber visit to place a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, as well as excursions to Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Mount Vernon.
As a history buff and political nerd, I was stoked. But while I studied museum placards and delved into mesmerizing murals, my son, head down, navigated the latest version of some video game on a friend’s phone. I got the occasional head nod or smug smile at famous locations, but only if I watched closely and, of course, pretended not to notice. Still, it was fun watching history come alive for the kids as they connected pictures from their history textbooks to real places they were actually standing in. Places where history had been made.
When it came time to head back to Oklahoma City, we were tired and ready. Unfortunately, the weather had other plans. Despite our early arrival at Dulles, our original flight out was delayed and then, after waiting on the runway for three hours in vain, cancelled. The idea of finding last-minute lodging in D.C. for a group of 30 did not sound feasible so we chose an alternate route and boarded a flight to Philadelphia hoping to catch their last flight out to Dallas, then on to OKC.
After a turbulent flight through thunder and lightning at 20,000 feet, we landed in Philadelphia with a group of parents and kids who hadn’t eaten since lunch. At 9:30 p.m., the food choices were limited and our connecting flight was long gone. We would be stuck in Philly until morning. After much debate about the possibility of snagging hotel rooms, we opted to overnight it in the airport.
I make hard decisions every day, but it felt strange making decisions like that for other people’s kids in my care. I contemplated how I would feel as a parent to get a text explaining the situation. The gravity and absurdity were not lost on me. For all our flawless planning and well-executed plans – here we were, plied with chicken nuggets, splayed across sticky chairs under bright airport lights, listening to the whir of the overnight floor cleaner and trying to sleep.
A few days later, after a good night’s rest, I asked my son what the highlight of his trip was. As he’s weighing his thoughts, I’m thinking of the significance I felt standing on the front porch of Mount Vernon – staring at the Potomac thinking of all the great feet that stood in that spot.
“Sleeping in the airport overnight, eating dinner at 10 – that’s not something you get to do every day,” he says.
Seriously. As a parent there are times when words can’t meet the moment. Yet, what it showed me was despite all the planning and important places – my son’s perspective was that adventure was important. And doing something unique and out of the ordinary was the highlight. He learned the joy of travel after all.
Great story and reminder.