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, February 9, 2012

Starbucks for the Stressed

     Airports are such interesting places to observe people, and they're certainly filled with opportunities to offer assistance or to make someone's day.  I was flying from San Francisco to Phoenix and I decided to check my bags to make it easier to negotiate my way through the airport.  When I arrived in Phoenix I made my way to baggage claim to retrieve my bags.  As I was doing so, I noticed the US Airways baggage office was a bit crowded with people trying to locate missing bags and make arrangements to have them delivered. 
     The 2 women who were behind the counter looked stressed, but seemed to be handling the frustrated passengers as effectively as possible.  It occurred to me that that must be a tough job  - spending the entire day dealing with people for whom a mishap had occurred, and people who were usually tired and cranky.  So when the room eventually cleared, I went up to the counter and offered a Starbucks gift card to one of the women as a way of brightening her day.  She seemed really touched and couldn't thank me enough.
     It was nice to make a small and unexpected difference for someone today.
    

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