What happens to one, happens to everyone.
Winter storms storm across the southeast. A beautiful young women booked on a Delta flight to Tampa is rerouted through Detroit. Her anger builds in waves as she pounds on her cellphone keyboard, seething inside. She storms up to the gate agent and demands to be compensated for her inconvenience and hails her frustration out at the women behind the counter. The intensity of her words sting everyone around her as the gate agent tries to protect herself. Explaining that the storms have caused the delay’s not Delta, and forecasting politely, “We’ll get you there.” The man standing next to the young women rages at the gate agent about his flight delay. The young women hurls back at him, “Shut up I was talking to her first.” The man hisses, “bitch,” at her through his teeth. The gate agent’s eyes well with tears as she looks down and pounds on her computer keyboard, seething inside. She issues a new boarding pass without looking at her face, saying, “I’m sorry for your inconvenience.” The young women spits back, “You should be.” She marches away and pushes through the boarding line like a fast moving front. Her bag collides with a couple, pouring their coffee and papers on the ground, occluding the line as angry words rain all around us. I put in my earbuds and put up an umbrella of music. We begin to board the plane. The gate agent takes my ticket without looking at my face. I whisper, “I’m sorry.” She looks up and smiles, gray skies in her eyes dissipate
The beautiful young woman blows down the jetway and blusters at the flight attendants. She throws her bag in the overhead, toppling the other bags already there. The man across the aisle hurls, “Hey, WATCH IT!” The young women says nothing in response. He freezes her with an icy glare then looks down and pounds on his laptop, seething inside. The young women slams down in the seat next to mine without looking at my face. I look at hers and say, “Hi.” The young women says nothing in response. The Captain announces we’ll be delayed at the gate for a short time. The cabin erupts. Passengers pelt the flight attendants with demands. I look at my iPad and see severe storms forecasted in Tampa. The baby in front of me starts to cry. Tempers rise. Service freezes. Cabin pressures build with fear and frustration as people complain louder and louder. The baby cries louder and louder. I turn up my music louder and louder. I watch the storms movement on ForeFlight and think I see the pilot’s timing our departure to avoid them. Sudden stillness, the pressure around me is shifting. I take out my earbuds. The mother is lifting the baby up, bouncing him in the air above her seat. The baby giggles louder and louder. The man across the aisle looks up from his keyboard and smiles at the baby. The flight attendant comes out of the galley to compliment the mother. I start playing peek-a-boo with the baby as we both giggle louder and louder. The aircraft door closes. The crew announces our departure. Cabin pressure drops.
The beautiful young women seated next to me apologizes without looking at my face. “I didn’t mean to be rude, I’m just having a bad day.” I whisper, “I’m sorry.” She looks up and smiles, gray skies in her eyes dissipate.
Severe storms sweep through Tampa just before the Delta crew lands us safely in the light rain.
It is our conscience that tells us to be conscious that our emotions affect everyone around us, both positively and negatively.
What happens to one, happens to everyone.