It’s been said that there are two types of travel companions: Holy ones and ones that make you holy.

I won’t tell you what type I am.

I will tell you that on a recent trip, I found myself only just downloading a rideshare app when I should have been already leaving my house for the airport, arriving at security late, being told that despite what the DMV said the TSA does not regard a paper copy of a Real ID as sufficient for travel, paying 45 dollars to receive an email from the DMV stating my paper copy of my Real ID is, in fact, real, and sliding into an empty seat at the gate minutes before boarding.

During a two-hour layover, I walked in the wrong direction to a gate on the opposite side of the airport.

By the time I finally found where my gate was, it was almost time to board.

In the air, I brought a desk’s worth of paperwork, balancing it all on my lap as my binder poked out into the aisle.

I snapped and unsnapped the rings on my binder at least 20 times while shuffling papers, typing with my shoulders up to my ears, and pawing through the purse at my feet at random times for a pencil, bookmark, or lip balm. I was in constant motion.

I also realized mid-flight I was using both armrests.

On the return flight, I opted for a full, steaming cup of coffee right before an extended period of turbulence.

During the landing, I closed my eyes to stay calm, then jumped in my seat when the wheels met the landing strip, like that was somehow unexpected.

The whole time, I kept thinking how fun it was to travel.

In retrospect, I see I left behind a wake of saints who, perhaps, had less fun traveling in near proximity to me but were kind nonetheless. My REAL ID should’ve read: “Saintmaker.”

There was the TSA agent who overheard the REAL ID exchange with the security officer scanning IDs, told me about the option of printing out the email, led me to the kiosk, then let me skip the line afterward so I didn’t miss my flight.

The flight attendant who had pity on me and let me use the bathroom right before takeoff.

My seatmate, who, watching my paperwork struggle, helpfully suggested I use the tray clip to secure the piece of paper I was reading off of while typing.

My other seatmate who kindly acknowledged my comment about how the cute baby ahead of us had been so quiet. The conversation was a bit stilted on her end. Upon reflection, I now know she wished she would’ve been sitting next to the baby instead, but to her credit, didn’t say so.

The series of gate agents who graciously helped me find one gate after another.

This patient forbearance is no small sacrifice.

One security guard on break sat down at a piano in the airport lounge, launching into a series of dramatic, moody pieces, which filled the cavernous space.

It was clear he was processing a long chaotic morning of tending to travelers, channeling his challenging experience into beautiful — albeit intense — music.

If you find yourself traveling with a saintmaker this summer, rejoice that the Lord found you worthy of following in the footsteps of St. Thérèse, who offered up countless irritations within her convent with such love and trust that she became a Doctor of the Church.

You can be another Mother Teresa, who constantly looked for Jesus in the “distressing disguise” of the poor around her.

In fact, you have the opportunity to be Love Himself, who traveled on foot for thousands of miles alongside the Twelve Apostles as they argued and complained for many of those miles, loving them anyway.

Your patience and charity will help your travel partner reach their destination in peace, and no doubt get you to Heaven that much faster.

“We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us.” — Romans 5:3-5