It has been a few weeks now. Actually, I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner. There have been plenty of opportunities. Then again, maybe blaming the metal in my shoes was a bit off when they went off before.
What am I talking about? Security alarms. Yeah, I set off one at the airport. We were beginning the first leg of our trip to Hawaii. Shoes off. Carry ons, etc, on the conveyor for X-ray. I watched those before me, including my son, as they put their bare feet on the shoe shaped marks on the floor in the huge, glass cylinder and held their arms up over their heads. Everyone was going right on through. Then it was my turn.
My poor son......"Why her? Why in THAT area?" he thought as TSA escorted me to the side and asked if I needed a private room. I knew what caused it. Guess I'd never told my child about my surgery souvenirs. Two metal staples that held the left ureter (a tube that I didn't even know what was until the surgery situation) to the left kidney on one end and to my bladder on the other.
I'm pretty sure he was more embarrassed and concerned than I was. And hoping this was not a sign of things to come on our Hawaiian adventure. (It certainly was NOT! Best trip ever!) I told TSA that I didn't need a private room, partly to get it over with and partly because I didn't want to be separated from my son while he was left to wonder what was going on. So there I stood, being patted down, waist to knees, right there in front of everybody.
Thankfully it didn't take too long and we were free to go on through. Just had a thought....this might have added to my child (who was also my caregiver and babysitter at times) having heart burn that day. Anyway, never again, at least on this trip, did my staples cause an issue.
But isn't it interesting how we look at others when they are going through something we don't understand? There may have been those who judged me that day, just as we judge others dealing with things we only know the minimum about. They could have laughed, pointed or even gotten upset because my staples held up the line. But if they did, I didn't see it. And I'm glad.
I suppose I could have gotten upset at the whole situation. I, of all people, would not be smuggling anything illegal on a plane. How dare they treat me that way! I could have had a wall-eyed fit. But I smiled and complied. Chalked it up to just another adventure, a day in the life....
What did surprise me about this whole situation? How it came to mind tonight after I was having a bit of discomfort in that kidney area. And how it brought the thoughts, from that day. The realization of how we need to have compassion, whether we understand what someone is going through or not. Chances are, we don't know the whole story. And how being able to smile when things aren't exactly how you wanted them to be is a good thing.
Isn't it funny how God teaches us things through these odd situations? Getting and having these staples has not really been enjoyable. But being taught new stuff about life and love and forgiveness and compassion.....well that's just pretty cool.
