As I was coming home from Miami today, making my way through the Philadelphia airport B terminal toward baggage claim, I noticed one of the airport maintenance (?) workers emptying trash cans into a big wheeled collection receptacle. He looked like a guy who people rarely noticed, and even more rarely acknowledged - one of those workers who sort of fades into the background. I decided it might be nice to show him some kindness.
I pulled out one of my McDonald's gift cards, walked up to him, explained what I had, and offered it to him. He smiled, but looked at me with a strange, quizzical kind of expression, unsure of why I would do this. I simply told him that I wanted him to have a nice day, and I asked him to do something nice for someone else in return.
I often wonder what these people (the recipients of my gift cards, etc.) tell people when they get home at night. How do they explain what happened and how does it affect them? I wish I could be a fly on the wall to hear that. As with so many of these acts though, I'll never really know the impact, and have to simply be satisfied that I at least set in motion some positive energy today.
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