How to Make a Difference

-This is the first excerpt in the Little Green Book. Although it is dated by a couple weeks at this point, I believe this message has a timeless purpose and validity.-

26 June 2018

So here it is, day one, moment zero, of a thousand. I have yet to even step foot on a plane. Mostly due to the fact that my flight has been delayed ten minutes, every ten minutes for the last hour due to persisting thunderstorms. Nevertheless, it has given me the chance to partake in an early session of People-Watching (a favorite past time).

I sat next to a lovely, middle-aged woman, with her hair neatly wrapped in a blue, marbled scarf that matched her earrings. After asking to take the empty seat next to her, I commented on how bright and wonderful her jewelry was. Her demeanor softened, and a smile spread across her beautiful face.

Across from me, an obnoxious business man shouted into his phone over the ear buds lodged in his satellite-dish ears, about missed connections and unbelievable service. His negativity was almost as insufferable as his yellow argyle socks (that unfortunately matched his tie). I chose to ignore him.

Eventually, the gate agent began assigning seats. Being one of the lucky individuals without one of those, I waited patiently in line. Knowing we had a while left before any boarding could happen, I wasn’t in a terrible rush. Especially considering the delay had already made me miss my connection. The woman in front of me however, was not feeling the same leniency. She was trying to get to Boston, and evidently was the top priority to this airline. The poor gate agent smiled through all of the attitude and snippy remarks, and efficiently got her on a flight that she could approve of – with no thanks in return.

As I approached the counter, I immediately apologized for adding to her morning and handed her my passes, explaining that I needed a seat assignment, and my connection re-booked. She got my seat, and began apologizing because the earliest my connection would be was three hours after I was supposed to depart originally. I stopped her, and thanked her because that cut my 11-hour layover down by four hours for my rotator flight out of Norfolk.

The combination of surprise and relief on her face was a little saddening. She was blown away that I was happy about a missed connection – even if it was more so that I was the first person not to shout at her or get upset over something she had no control over. It only reaffirmed my belief that it’s easy to make a positive impact in someone’s world, just by the manner in which you speak to them. By the way you choose to interact with them. Simple  gestures of kindness, patience, and understanding allow someone the grace and space to be human, and motivate them to keep trying.

The kindness was returned to me when I sat down. I began writing this and my pen died. [If you were reading this from the original Little Green Book, you would see an ink change.] A man across the small terminal noticed me digging in my backpack for a new one, and brought me his instead. And it may be that I am more receptive to random kindness, but the small things always make the biggest difference. I believe it’s a ripple effect; if someone is able to give you a spot of calm amongst the chaos, or a shred of positivity in a sea of the dark and dismal, that means they were able to improve your outlook on that day.

It may be subconscious. How often do we fixate on the spilled coffee, or the missed bus, or the meeting-gone-wrong, and allow that one moment to be what carves the path of the rest of our day, or even week? On the other hand, how often have you ever been lifted out of that fog (even temporarily) because someone offered you a smile, a greeting, a compliment, a pen?

The smallest of actions make the largest of differences. They can either destroy or restore faith in humanity. We cannot control the behavior or actions of others. So how are you going to make a difference for someone else today?

And on that thought, I say farewell to America.

I’ll be home soon~

[Please remember, all feedback is welcome and encouraged. Let me know what you’d like to hear me write about. Tell me your thoughts, opinions, and experiences on the difference we can make in the lives of others, or the impact that someone else’s actions had on you. If you don’t feel comfortable commenting here, there is a private feedback section under the menu bar labeled “Tell me what you think”. Have a loving and peaceful day.]