Prayers for my Passport

I misplaced my passport. Ok, misplaced suggests that a lost item could be found. Let me rephrase that; I lost my passport.

How could such a crucial document vanish without a trace? The question lingered in the air, taunting me with its unanswered mystery. I will tell you this…what had happened wasss…

It all began with the renewal—a routine task that I completed in January because my current passport was expiring soon and you cannot travel internationally within 6 months of the expiration date. I received the new one a couple of weeks later. The new one came back first and I remember feeling a little disappointed that the old one wasn’t returned, but then I received the old one about a week later, filled with all the stamps and stickers and memories of my travels over the last ten years.

One morning, about a week before traveling to Italy to meet up with my eldest Afrikan, I woke up with the intention to put my passport on my dresser so I wouldn’t forget it. I got up and went to the place where I always kept my passport, but it wasn’t there. And it wasn’t in that drawer or that closet or that room! In fact, it wasn’t anywhere to be found. I stood alone in the dimly lit room, my heart pounding with dread. A single thought reverberated through my mind like an ominous warning: where in the world was my passport?

I looked everywhere!!! I looked in places I KNEW it could not be and I looked in the two places it should or could have been at least ten times! Every attempt to retrace my steps only plunged me deeper into uncertainty. I was baffled because I couldn’t remember what I did with the new passport after I opened the envelope BUT I didn’t panic. I was about a week away from my trip and knew I had enough time to get another one. 

Desperation led me to call the passport agency, where a glimmer of possibility emerged—a same-day appointment, a slim chance at redemption. I prayed for a miracle as I called the customer service number as the sun rose that morning. I figured I needed a back up plan…just in case. It was Thursday, I was traveling the following Wednesday, so I was good. Inconvenienced and a little annoyed with myself, but good, overall. 

I was able to get an appointment for Monday morning in New Orleans, which was the closest location with an appointment available. I thought “Cool, I’ll continue to look over the weekend and if it doesn’t turn up, I’ll head to Nawlins.” I checked flight prices and decided that wasn’t how I wanted to spend my money. I checked with a friend who worked for the airlines and learned I could fly in on a buddy pass but it didn’t look good for me to get out the same day …no bueno. So, I started thinking of people I could invite on an impromptu road trip!  

I shared the missing passport situation with a few folks…a very select few. I did not need anxious energy because I was determined to stay calm and I felt in my soul that everything was going to work out for me.

I looked a little more that afternoon and then at the suggestion of a dear sisterfriend, I stopped looking for my passport. I did this because sometimes you look so hard you will not be able to find whatever you are looking for. What I didn’t stop doing, however, was calling the passport office to see if I could get an appointment closer to Atlanta. I called back-to-back at least five times. On the fourth time, a gentleman answered speaking very slowly. It was annoying me, because by now I was impatient that I had lost my passport and he was sharing the process that I had heard three times before because I was robo-calling, hoping to get an earlier or closer appointment for a replacement passport for the one I lost in my house. SMH…let me take a couple of deep breaths and listen to what he is saying.

Despite his slow cadence, he shared one very important detail towards the end of the conversation. He told me that if I was traveling within 72 hours, I may be able to get a same-day appointment in Atlanta. He also said 72 hours would be Friday, which was the next day! My hope meter shot up to 10,000!!! He told me to call in the morning and I replied that I had called about 8:30 am that morning, and then asked if that was a good time. He stated the office opened up at 7 am and recommended that I call then.

Me: “ Hey Siri, set an alarm for 6:58 am tomorrow morning.”

Me: “Hey Alexa, set an alarm for 6:59 am tomorrow morning.”

Later that afternoon, I went for a walk with my neighbor. That evening, I filled out and printed the documents I would need to take to the passport office. I found a passport photo and included that in the folder with the documents. I looked up the location of the Atlanta office, which was downtown, and also parking. Then I packed for my international trip because if I had to drive to Nawlins, I was not going to pack at the last minute. Last minute packing never works out well for me. Oh, and I cleaned up my house from the mess I created looking for the lost passport.. 

I slept well that night and decided that I would l have my passport in hand by the end of the day, Friday. 

I woke up Friday morning at 6:13 am. As I was waking up, I heard that I should be dressed and ready to go by 7 am. You know that early morning voice that speaks to you? That was the voice I heard and I have learned to be obedient to that voice.

I did my meditation, said a few prayers and affirmed that everything is always working out for me. 

At 6:38 am, I went to the website of the passport agency and saw there was an appointment for that day at 8 am in Atlanta! MY GOD!!! With trembling hands and a racing heart, I seized the opportunity and made the appointment. I was in disbelief! "How could it get any better than this?", I thought!

With the folder in hand, I entered the passport agency and stood in line with about 50 other people with a similar issue. As I approached the counter, I affirmed that everything was going to work out for me. So, when the woman behind the counter asked me for a copy of my lost passport or birth certificate for proof of identity, and I didn’t have either, I did not panic. I remembered that I had a picture on my phone of the passport before the one I lost and was able to use that photo. I was told to come back at 2:30 to pick up the passport, which I did. Between the time I applied and the time I had to come back, I ran some errands that I had already planned to do on Friday before this passport situation popped off. In the face of adversity, I had prevailed, I received my new passport that afternoon and I had a testament to the indomitable power of hope.

I am always amazed by this life that I am blessed to live! And I love this life I live! It is not perfect, but it is perfect for me! I often ask, “How does it get any better than this!?!? What else is possible?!?!” And the Universe shows up and shows out every time!!!

Please feel free to share with me something you've lost and how you navigated through the aftermath. I look forward to hearing from you!!

I am grateful!