A Little MS with a Little MSW

I have an appointment this morning to receive a clearance for TSA Precheck. I am hoping this will expedite my need to interact with other humans inside an airport setting, thereby decreasing my anxiety throughout the whole airport arrival to airplane seating process.

Airports give me extreme anxiety. I am fine once I am actually seated on the plane, but something about the baggage check/claim, security, gates, horizontal escalators, boarding/deplaning, stowing of carry-ons, arrival/departure screens, and close proximity to frenzied people just throws me into a tizzy.

We are planning a trip to Iceland this summer, hence the hum of my rattling nerves already vibrating with the anticipation. I would not say Iceland has ever been on my bucket list, or even my radar, but my husband has long thought it an appealing vacation destination and an airport in fairly close proximity to us just began offering direct flights.

So. A bit of trivia for you…

Did you all know that Iceland is green, and Greenland is icy? Did you? Be honest. Some things in life are aptly named and others are… not. It is not unreasonable to think that a place called Iceland would be icy and a place called Greenland, lush. Do you want to know what I am most looking forward to seeing on our trip? Puffins.

I love wildlife and beautiful scenery, and I expect Iceland will have both. At the very least, it will be a new adventure and another opportunity to conquer my somewhat irrational fear that a TSA agent will conduct a full search of my person and belongings, deeming me a threat to society and forbidding me from airline travel for the rest of eternity.

My anxious brain has a flare for the dramatic. Hence, I have decided to preemptively vet myself so I can pass by the TSA agent with my shoes on and my head held high. Unless something goes wrong with my clearance, or the metal detector goes off, or they ask if I have anything hidden in my sock, or they detain my carry-on bag, or…