I’m headed with my daughter to the passport office. For the third time.
The first time, we were there five minutes before closing. They’re only open 3 days a week for a few hours each time.
We had to fill out all the paperwork. The window closed.
OK, we’ll come back in a couple of weeks, on another Monday when they’re open. I mark it in my calendar.
We return with the filled out paperwork, a long form. I have her old passport, which is about to expire.
We are told her old passport isn’t enough, we need her birth certificate also.
We leave, and once again, put a new date on our calendars for the visit to the passport office, another two weeks away, on another Monday.
This time it turns out, since she’s just turned 18…the birth certificate won’t work (the one I had to dig out in storage files). Noooo, since she’s 18 she actually needs a driver’s license.
But she doesn’t yet have a driver’s license.
So apparently our alternative is going to the Department of Licensing and filling out forms there and paying for an official state ID with her photo, then….
….returning again to the passport office.
This is getting annoying.
I didn’t like the passport office woman’s attitude, either. She didn’t smile, or apologize for the inconvenience. She had a stone faced look of boredom.
Doesn’t she remember we’ve already been here twice?
And now we have to go do something else and come back….AGAIN????!!!!
You irritating person. You irritating Passport Office!
Arrrrgggghhhhh!! Shaking fist at sky!!
Heh heh.
Who would I be in this moment without the belief that the government administrative offices are sooooo annoying, boring, inefficient and slow?
I take a deep breath.
I put a third date in my calendar for attempting to get my daughter’s freakin’ passport renewed.
My mind is ticking as we drive away and this task is still undone. We are traveling in August.
I notice the aggressive energy. I watch it. I see this mind having a hissy fit about this imposition!
But how could it be a good thing….that this is taking what appears to be far more time and effort than anticipated?
Could it be another opportunity to simply relax?
Because I do notice, nothing’s actually wrong. Nothing terrible has happened.
Two people, mother and daughter, have driven around in a car several times with papers and an almost-expired passport. They are privileged to be planning a trip that requires leaving the country. The cost of passports is quite high, but there is enough money to pay for it (once they stop asking for additional items–jeez!)
I turn the thoughts I had about the passport people around:
Oh jeez.
I myself am sooooo annoying, boring, inefficient and slow….especially when it comes to the way I’m dealing with these government passport office type people.
I’m getting worked up, which is pretty annoying. I’m having a boring, repetitive reaction not unlike other times I’ve been to this office rather than think of a new way to be–how about friendly and relaxed, that’s an idea?
I’m totally inefficient because I’ve never bothered to look up what I need exactly before going to the passport office in the first place.
When it comes to my daughter getting a driver’s license I am definitely slow–kids can drive when 16 where we live, and I haven’t practiced driving with her enough yet.
Most of all, I lost my sense of humor and forgot to just let things be, and notice they’re unfolding one small step at a time.
And it will likely be pretty fun when it’s handled. And over.
Passports are valid for ten years! My daughter can get the next one herself, when she’s 28!
Much love, Grace