We never know what ‘baggage’ the travelers next to us are carrying. Each person that winds through the long security lines has their own unique story. We’re clueless about the challenges the people around us are carrying with them at this exact moment in their journey – just as we have no idea about their gifts and expertise.
In the crowded airport spaces of our world, what if we chose to see this gathered mass of humanity through a lens of appreciation and compassion? Environments that are so often filled with frustration and tension could begin to be changed by the thoughtful individual actions of each traveler.
When I travel I try to spread this spirit in small ways along my path. On Monday, a tremendous connection in a matter of seconds was made with a stranger in New York’s La Guardia airport. Because of the amazing technological world we live in today, less than 24 hours later, this traveler had tracked me down online and shared her incredible account with me.
We have no idea the impact a few moments of compassion and good will can have on those around us. But, if we’re not careful, it could slowly change the world.
Pass it on.
Jason Barger is author of Step Back from the Baggage Claim: Change the World, Start at the Airport.
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Yesterday morning on an American Airlines flight from Vancouver to DFW, I watched a gentleman give up his first class seat to a passenger in economy, the wife of the passenger next to him. The passenger’s wife told him to accept the upgrade even though she didn’t get one and when the gentleman found out about it, he offered his seat to her once we were in the air. The couple were traveling for their 50th wedding anniversary.
I was graced by meeting Alethea at BEA, thus hearing about this awesome encounter and now seeing it cycle around again due to such fascinating human connectors such as blogs, I found this via her link from twitter. I think your spirit is genius. I couldn’t be happier to know that such spirits exist to perpetuate grace. Screw swine flu, let’s catch S1H1 person to person, smile one, hug one!