Am I kind when I travel?

Am I kind when I travel?

Bev and I travel more now than we used to.   The more we travel the more my heart gets joy from the people we meet versus the destinations we see.   This is a shift for me and is impacting how I travel, the things I observe, and the conversations I have along the journey.

Recently Bev and I went on an Avalon Waterways Rhine River cruise from Amsterdam to Basel with my sister and brother-in-law.   Our journey consisted of a plane ride from Minneapolis to Amsterdam, a river cruise with stops in Amsterdam, Cologne, Rudesheim, Mainz (Heidelberg), Kehl (Strasbourg), Breisach (Colmar, Freiberg, Black Forest) and Basel, a train ride to Paris, and a flight from Paris to Minneapolis.   Along this journey we will meet and observe many people.   How does this change us?

An anonymous small act of kindness on our flight from Minneapolis to Amsterdam set a tone for our trip and made me realize how connected we are across our world as we travel from place to place.

As the plane was prepping for departure the final passengers were boarding.   Two women both with young babies boarded.  The babies were fussing and many in our cabin were concerned they might be in for a long night.  The configuration of the plane was 2-4-2 in the main cabin, and the plane was an Airbus A330-300.   The row in front of us had two gentlemen in the center section each seated in an aisle seat with two empty seats between them.    I am certain the two gentlemen were thinking  they would have additional space around them for the 8 hour flight.   There was commotion as the two women boarded late and were trying to sit together in seats not assigned to them.  The flight departure was now delayed until this situation was resolved.   Delta agents resolved the issue but had to be stern with both mothers about taking their assigned seats.    One of the women and her child were assigned to a seat between the two men. While this is happening I notice one of the gentlemen closest to me is texting frantically sharing his good fortune that the seat next to him was no longer empty and he would likely have a fussing baby in the seat next to him for the duration of the flight. This was not an easy travel day for either mother.

The mother in the row in front of us is trying to get settled with her baby and very quickly hands her baby to the gentlemen next to her.    Likely not something this man expected to be doing on his journey.    For a quick moment you can see the wheels turning in his head asking himself what’s in store for the rest of this flight to Amsterdam.   I could also see that he very quickly recognizes that he can either complain and be upset or roll with what’s happening.    If you’re handed a stranger’s baby and that baby starts to settle down and their eyes meet yours, you quickly understand how a simple act and response warms two hearts.   The man holding the baby says he has a young daughter at home and always wanted a son as he plays with the baby, makes faces and is able to draw out a smile and hold prolonged eye contact.

The miracle of this act is the connection made between this man and the baby, this man and the baby’s mother, and all the other passengers nearby observing what is happening.  Pretty soon the business man at the other end of the aisle is taking his turn entertaining the baby and receiving the same smiles and eye contact.   Later in the flight the baby begins to fuss and the woman seated in front of me gets up and offers to take the baby from the Mother.   She carries the baby around the cabin and comforts him.  It’s become a small village in a Delta cabin helping two Mothers and their children.   Another cool thing is people observing these interactions were reaping the benefit of a quieter cabin as both babies were comforted and each mother offered and accepting assistance.

Kindness is something we share when we travel.   A plane, ship, train, and automobile can provide opportunities for kindness to spread into the lives of the people we meet along the journey.   A single act is contagious from person to person, country to country, and continent to continent.

I hope on our future journeys we remember this.   On each trip we get to share ourselves and help someone in need, we receive the warmth that comes with giving,  as others quietly observe the moment, and everyone continues their journey looking for  opportunities to do the same.

Be Humble. Be Kind. Be Thankful.