Plastic Surgery
Sherri Grosz
I was really surprised at how uncomfortable it was to leave the house. This past July my husband and I accompanied a group of youth to Mennonite World Conference in Paraguay. The packing list for our three-week trip included only the necessities: sleeping bag, clothes, toiletries, a bible and a few small gifts, with everything to be carried in one backpack.
It was a little weird to leave the house without ID. The group coordinator still had our passports from her embassy visit and was going to have them at the airport. No need for a driver’s license or health card, so they stayed at home. We were advised that debit cards were rarely accepted in Paraguay or Brazil so there was no point in taking them along. The credit card, however, was the most difficult of all. I knew I wouldn’t need it, and yet leaving it behind remained a struggle.
The “what ifs” of international travel ran through my head. What if we were stranded at an airport? What if we had to pay for medical care or medications? What if there was an emergency and someone needed to come home? Despite the fact that we were carrying sufficient cash, the group had travel insurance, our coordinator was carrying a credit card and the conference office would surely wire money if needed, I struggled with leaving my credit card behind. I pondered my struggle at various moments in our trip.
I often use a credit card, especially for work. It’s almost required to rent a car or book a flight. Since I am reimbursed for my expenses, it’s handy that expenses don’t come out of our personal bank account immediately. By using a credit card for work-related costs, I can submit my expenses and by the time the credit card bill comes, I’ve usually received my reimbursement cheque. My husband and I pay off our personal cards monthly and we don’t use them to buy things we can’t afford. The credit card is strictly for convenience. So why my struggle to leave the card at home? Was I that dependent on plastic?
It seems that having a credit card with me gives me a sense of security. I feel safe knowing that if an emergency were to arise, I would have the means to deal with it. I could pay a tow truck or repair centre if my car broke down. I could pay for a hotel room if I were stranded. I could deal with whatever financial need arose. Carrying that piece of plastic makes me feel safe; I can independently fix any problem that might arise.
But this is a false sense of security and a false sense of independence. A credit card doesn’t keep me safe, and it won’t keep my loved ones safe. While it may provide me with a financial buffer and it can be helpful on occasion, a credit card cannot solve my problems and it cannot protect me. It was good for me to leave my credit card home this summer and to wrestle with my attachment to plastic. Back at home I’m using the credit card, but I’m keenly aware that my safety and security rest – appropriately - in the hands of God.