Lost and Found

I have learned my lesson – a few times...or at least I thought I had. I booked a trip once in my early 20’s only to discover a week before traveling that I needed a valid passport to go there. Not having one, I went to the passport office. They said “you need an expired passport or a Citizenship Card to get a passport.” I knew I had a citizenship card...I just couldn’t find it anywhere...and I never did. The passport was obtained, but it was not easy to get – and it caused me and my mother a LOT of unnecessary stress. The whole ordeal, in combination with the student loan debacle, which we won’t get into or I’ll start to cry, was enough to make me change my ways. I swore that I would have ONE spot for all important documents, and I would diligently pay any bills and stay on top of my finances.
Fast forward to today. Being the cautious person I am, I thought I better have a quick check to make sure everything is in order for our travel to the US on Wednesday. I went to “the spot”...but there is no passport. 2 hours later I am in a panic – crying to Chris that it’s gone, and that the flights are in my maiden name because my passport is still my maiden name, but the rest of my ID is in my married name. And besides that I think its mandatory now for all passengers flying to the US to have valid passports. 2 DAYS PRIOR TO TRAVEL and I’ve lost it. Gone.
Sick...I was just sick about it. How could this have happened when I am so careful? Why do these things seem to always happen to me? What what what if I hadn’t checked today and I went to get it on Wednesday morning – can you imagine how upset I would have been – having to travel for something so important, only to be dealt that blow 2 hours before a flight???
I looked everywhere – keep in mind we have only been home from Florida for 3 weeks...so it’s not that long ago I saw it. Not having it handy meant something was up...something bad. After searching bags, suitcases, jackets, purses, envelopes, drawers, piles of bills, piles of random stuff many many times over I was resigned to the fact that I wasn’t going to find it. It wasn’t anywhere it could have been...it was gone.
For whatever strange reason I went to the 3 foot pile of newspapers that was waiting for recycling day at the front door and plunked myself down...tears running down my face. As I started taking newspapers off, I thought this is so stupid – it’s not going to be here...but my mind was elsewhere – searching frantically for some memory that might lead me to my passport... I was just about to give up when I took off the last paper...and there it was...ready for the recycling truck.
Apparently I didn’t learn my lesson. Sick about it...just sick.