A Week of Moments I Didn’t See Coming
On March 9, I traveled to my childhood town to celebrate my mom’s birthday. It was a Monday, and after a long work week and a full weekend, I was completely exhausted. By Sunday night, I still hadn’t packed. My flight was at 5 a.m., which meant arriving at the airport by 3 a.m.—especially with the well-known TSA lines—so I had to be up by 1 a.m. to shower, pack my toiletries, and get ready to head out.
I was running on fumes, but just before going to bed, I received a notification that I had been upgraded to first class on my flight from O’Hare to Phoenix. That alone felt like a small gift and a much-needed boost.
The surprises didn’t stop there. When I arrived at my gate, I spotted my flight attendant friend, Sonce, scanning the flight board across from me. Of course, I walked up, tapped her on the shoulder, and said, “Hi there, what a surprise!” She was just as surprised to see me—and even more surprised when we realized we were on the same flight. 😅
Thanks to her kindness, I even boarded with the crew. Even though I was already flying first class and among the first to board, walking in with the crew felt pretty cool—I have to admit. 😉
I’m not usually an early breakfast person. Coffee? Yes—lots of it. But how could I pass up a warm breakfast when I’m so used to being offered pretzels? Bring on the veggie and egg frittata, baked potatoes, fresh fruit, and warm croissants—YUM. Everything was delicious, and I enjoyed every bite. The flight was smooth, and before I knew it, we were landing in sunny Phoenix.
With a three-hour layover, I took my time walking to my next gate. I arrived in my hometown before noon, and my brother Will and I went straight to my favorite breakfast taqueria—so good. After a quick stop and a few chats, we headed to my mom’s for a big birthday hug before starting the celebration. More on that in my next article. ☺️
During my visit, there was a huge concert featuring some of my favorite performers—artists from Mexico, Spain, Puerto Rico, Colombia, and even Tennessee and Texas. It was a 12-hour concert, and my friend and I stayed for eight of those hours. It was incredibly fun… and equally exhausting.
The next day, I was heading back to Chicago. I got home from the concert at 3:30 a.m., starving and completely drained, so I made a quick quesadilla, cleaned up, and went to bed. Three hours later, my alarm went off. Time to shower, pack, and head to the airport. My head was throbbing—no surprise after days of nonstop movement—but it was all worth it.
At the airport in Mexico, I was shocked to see that many of the performers from the night before were on my flight to Phoenix. I was completely starstruck. 🤩 Had I not been dealing with such a strong migraine, I would’ve asked for photos with each of them. Still, I was able to talk to several—members of the band Midland, Silvestre Dangond, the music mixer for Alejandro Sanz, and the incredibly kind Kany García. I did manage to take a photo with her upon landing in Phoenix while we waited for our luggage. We all looked exhausted—but at least they had performed, not me. 🤣
On my flight from Phoenix to Chicago, I had a window seat next to a retired couple from the Chicagoland area, probably in their 70s. They had just returned from a week in Phoenix and Las Vegas with friends. The woman and I talked for most of the flight—she was so warm and kind, and her husband was just as pleasant. When we landed, we said our goodbyes, mentioning how nice it had been to chat.
As I waited for Stan to pick me up, she approached me again. “It was so great talking with you,” she said. “I’d love to keep in touch. Would you mind sharing your name and phone number?” After such a genuine and easy conversation, I happily said yes. It all felt natural—just good vibes all around.
Our rides arrived, and we said goodbye once more before heading our separate ways around 10 p.m.
I didn’t expect to hear from her again. But the very next day, I received a long, warm text from her. And who knows—maybe something lasting will come from that brief, unexpected encounter.
It was wonderful to be away, but it’s always just as good to come home. This trip felt special in so many ways—so special that even now, a week later, I’m still smiling, reminded that life is full of beautiful surprises when we’re open enough to notice them.
