Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.
- Leo Buscaglia


Thursday, January 12, 2012

More from the Road

     Today was another day spent mostly on the road, making my way back home from Chicago.  It was snowing in the midwest and there was a good possibility of flight delays, cancellations, and general travel havoc.  With my new attitude, I was actually looking forward to the challenge and excited to see if the potential mess would create lots of kindness opportunities.
     As the day began, I had lots of ideas in mind from helping people brush snow off their cars to assisting with luggage to seeing how I might be able to assist stranded travelers.  As it turned out, the snow was fairly light and didn't cause any real delays or major inconveniences.  I kept looking at people at the airport, trying to find someone who needed help, but couldn't see any appropriate opportunities.  To be totally honest, it was actually a little frustrating.  
     Still, I was at least determined to radiate warmth and kindness wherever I was, even in small ways.  Once again I made sure to look at people's name tags (TSA people,flight crew,rental car attendants,parking lot courtesy drivers, etc.) and smile and thank them using their names.  I engaged the person next to me on the airplane in conversation, rather than receding into my own world.  I let people get off the plane before me when they had connections to make and I didn't.  I did have one chance to help someone who dropped some of her belongings as she was juggling too many things, but I was candidly hoping I could do bigger things.
     I suppose it's good for me to have days like this - when kindness is as much a state of mind as it is a noteworthy act.  I imagine that over the course of 365 days, I'll have my share of those types of days.  One thing I can say is that having a kinder and gentler attitude definitely made both legs of this week's trip so much easier, more enjoyable, and less stressful.  And it's good to be home. 

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