By Ruthie Lewis
that just didn’t happen; bad service; you get the message. It’s very eye opening to think about how many times we’ve thought or voiced complaint, but it’s sobering to realize the impact of what even one of those tiny complaints has pickpocketed from the moment, your day.
As much as a normal day is ripe with things to complain about, the experience of travel is even more so. As much joy and experience as travel can bring, we all know the frustrations and upturned expectations. They can be scary, overwhelming and exhausting. Of course, it all begins with the airport – enough said. But then I caught myself after finally arriving at our amazing resort in line at the check-in counter. As stunning as the lobby was, it was open-air and breezeless. The worst was that it was taking fifteen to twenty minutes to check-in each guest. Really? How long can a few clicks, typing a few words and issuing a key take?
Forty-five minutes later, sweat dripping down my back, we were greeted by the girl at the counter. I exercised patience and kindness with her knowing none of it was her fault and also knowing that she and some of the other clerks had noticed our eye rolls. I leaned in to the excitement and gratefulness of being where we were, a fabulous resort on a Caribbean vacation. There had been a little confusion about the grade of package we’d bought and the apparent sections of the resort, one being adults only, so we’d decided to ask what it would take to get an upgrade even though we assumed it would be too expensive. The sweet clerk simply looked at her screen and told us there was no availability. “Oh, okay,” was all I said.
She continued with the check-in process on her computer. Impatience creeping in over the next ten minutes, she finally smiled and said, “We have given you a free upgrade.” What!!! We looked at each other in shock. “OMG! Thank you!” We kept smiling at each other not believing the grace, all impatience and complaint dissipated.
There was absolutely nothing to complain about, but I had stood there frustrated and had said several times, OMG! How long does it take to check someone in?!
We soon realized how huge this grace was as we were ushered to what they called the VIP Lounge and treated like queens. We did have a little too-good-to-be-true feeling wondering if we would be hammered by a sales team or something. But it was over and we were ushered to our room astonished by the reality that these people were so amazing, and not overlooking that the area was so much nicer, a true paradise.
I’m convinced that had we continued in our complaint as we were being checked in, this grace would not have descended. What a loss just because we were tired, uncomfortable and were required to wait.
As I thought about it later, I realized that even apart from the amazing upgrade, it would have served me much better to take in where I was, and let me tell you, there was much beauty to see; the decor of the expansive, open-air lobbies and walkways, complete with cabanas that were like beds, and the pristine tropical grounds visible from pretty much anywhere you stood. Yes, I’d noticed some of it, how could you not? But most of the long minutes standing there were focused on the people in line and the clerks, as if watching all of it would make things move any faster.
Even so, later, exhaustion, of course is kicking our butt, and as if that weren’t to be expected, complaints spilled out to give it credence even though they were among words acknowledging the beauty. We were again up against the invisible pickpocket, diminishing the beauty bit by bit. But at dinner there was suddenly no room for complaints of exhaustion as we enjoyed the most succulent filet and lobster dinner we had ever had, and as if that weren’t enough, my friend timidly asked for more lobster, because maybe that was a possibility with our all-inclusive stay. He teased, “no way,” but smiled and said, “of course!” Only a few moments later we were gifted with a huge, whole lobster so fresh and tender you didn’t even need butter. WOW!!!
We seriously thought we were dreaming, it all seemed so surreal. We wined and dined and got a good night’s sleep. But the pickpocket persisted, complaining over the minor inconvenience of not enough washcloths in our room, even after requesting them, and pretty much having to call for them every day. The bottom line is, if the complaint pickpocket is ever-present in paradise, how much more in everyday life?
I am by nature not a complainer, but hearing complaints in the middle of paradise certainly
August/September 2017 | ElementsForAHealthierLife.com | 17