Flexible and Patient

Ted. The last time Judy and I were in New Mexico was in March of 2020. As you recall, that was a crazy time. Covid had just arrived in the US (though we were calling it Coronavirus). The world was in a panic and everything was shut down. We decided to cut that visit short when we were finally able to find a flight back to Atlanta. 

That was when the travel world became more complicated and Judy and I adopted a new mantra - “Flexible and patient.” 

We still use the phrase. Last Saturday, we got up at 3:30 am to watch the mass ascension of balloons at the 50th annual Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. Hoping to see 640 hot air balloons rising into the air in one spot was going to be a highlight of our visit to New Mexico. Alas, after sitting in the cold with a steady drizzle for 2-1/2 hours, the event was cancelled. It doesn’t typically rain here in October but 2022 has proven to be an exceptional year. 

Were we disappointed? You bet! Did it ruin our trip? No way! We spent a great two days in town and still managed to see a lot of balloons. Jeff and I took a cool hike in the Ojito Wilderness Area while Judy explored the National Hispanic Cultural Center. 

You see, we have been through a lot of ups and downs over the past 2-1/2 years. Two trips to Europe were cancelled as was my father’s 90th birthday celebration. Our floatplane flight to Denali was cancelled three times. Commercial flights have been delayed and cancelled. Luggage has been lost. Christmas gatherings and reunions with friends and family have been postponed. I got Covid. 

It would have been easy to become angry or settle into a depression, so we had to make a choice. We now understand that the truly important relationships in our lives are strong enough to survive these challenges. As the scientist, Malcomb famously put it in Jurassic Park, “Life finds a way.” 

More often than not, when something was cancelled or postponed, it has caused us to ask ourselves, “What will this make possible?” If it weren’t for the pandemic closing most international borders, we would never have considered spending last April in Costa Rica, where we had an incredible time. 

So, as we loaded our soggy chairs into Raymond the truck at Balloon Fiesta Park on Saturday morning, Judy and I just looked at each other, smiled and said ; “Flexible and patient!”

Ojito Wilderness Area