After eight hours spanning over two days at the Federal building, 5 hours in the car, and several mishaps along the way, I finally received my passport last Thursday for our trip to England (see Levasheff Updates).  Mind you, Drake had applied for his passport the same day as me in February and received it in the mail two weeks prior.  However, I on the other hand, after two hours into the second day of waiting in multiple lines at 11000 Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles only to be told that there was another delay, began to throw a solo “pity party”;  I was tired, frustrated, losing valuable time and ready to whine, grumble, and moan.

So in an effort to pass time, I sat down to write in my journal.  What began as a series of complaints turned into a list of things for which I could and should be grateful.  Midway through my written grumbling I realized that complaining was not going to change the outcome of my passport circumstances.  I had a choice; I could choose a good attitude and the whole experience would probably be more pleasant, or I could choose to grouse and be miserable.  My whole outlook changed that day.

More than anything, I had lost sight of the fact that the reason I was waiting in line to get my passport was because we had been fully gifted a trip to the United Kingdom.  What legitimate objection could I possibly have?!?!!  Moreover, once I had my passport in hand, all the hassles of the previous two days would fade away.

And they did…

As I write this, we are on a train, after two fabulous days in London, headed for York, and I am convinced, especially after my passport incident, that the annoying experiences in life can be dramatically enhanced when I allow my attitude, even in the smallest of things, to be shaped by gratitude.