Photo Source: Stuart Miles at www.freedigitalphotos.net

About a month ago, I was at Ronald Reagan National Airport waiting to board the airplane after a wonderful weekend at McLean Bible Church’s Accessibility Summit. But instead of announcing it was time to board, an airline official announced the flight had been canceled because of inability to assemble a flight crew.

A few minutes later, the other passengers and I were lined up in front of the customer service desk. I was not at all pleased to discover that a) the next available flights weren’t until Monday, b) the airline would pay for hotel rooms but not for food or any other expenses caused by the delay, and c) I was experiencing emotions very similar to those that accompanied the arrival of our medically fragile son.

With 17 hours until the rescheduled flight’s take off, I had P-L-E-N-T-Y of time to think about the similarities between flight delays and parenting a child with special needs. Here are my top ten:

10.  Unexpected expenses pop up all the time and everywhere.

9.    Sleep deprivation is an integral part of each circumstance.

8.    In both cases, it’s wise to pray first, speak second, and then pray some more.

7.   Parents and passengers learn very quickly that are not in control.

6.   Flexibility is essential, not optional.

5.   Both parents and passengers learn to bite their tongues.

4.   Once the dust settles and their tongues have healed, parents and passengers need to advocate for better treatment. (My letter of complaint went out later that week. I’ll keep you posted on how that goes.)

3.   Both situations are rife with rudeness and unexpected grace.

2.   They are both cauldrons in which deep and lasting friendships form.

1.   Two crucial elements can transform these potential negatives into positives: a sense of humor and a spirit of forgiveness.

Now, parents of kids with special needs, what would you add to the list? Leave a comment!

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