The kindness of Strangers...

Friday, January 21, 2011

It is soo cold here in Minnesota.
I mean...soo...cold...

Like, a million degrees below zero cold...
Seriously.

I was hoping to do another warm weather destination family get away this year - because last year we had so very much fun...and because it's cold here and it's not in other places...and because I told myself that when I got done dealing with the worst thing in the whole world I would treat myself to a vacation, and because we are only 7 months away from being somewhat tied to the public school schedule for the next 20 years...

Pricing out vacations for this spring have brought about the sad realization that we aren't going anywhere too far anytime soon - Airfare prices are obnoxious - Gas prices are just as bad...
And really...Who thinks it's a great idea to drive over 4000 miles with two preschoolers with a somewhat limited time off schedule in a vehicle that has seen better days?

So...we'll find some fun places close to home and call it good...

But...the point of this rambling...
I've been thinking a lot about this, researching this flight and that one, trying to find ways to make it cheaper or even remotely affordable to get out of dodge for a bit...

And my thoughts drift back to last year...

And last year was pretty damn awesome...but...it wasn't perfect...
8 fun filled days in (mostly) sunny Orlando, Florida...and then it was time to come home...

After arriving at the airport, we were told that D couldn't bring his $8 plastic Pirates of the Caribbean sword home with us - unless we paid $$$ to check it, because it was a weapon. Oh my...really? Thanks lady.
(We only let our kids pick out ONE souvenir each...and now Delta wants to confiscate the one thing the boy had...and charge us 3x what we paid for it to do so?)

Then...Delta tells us they had seats on the plane for 2 members of our family - but not the other two...
Decisions. Decisions.

Should the hubs and I head home first and have Delta send the kids to us later?
Should we send just the kids home and we join them after catching the next flight out 12 hours later...
ugh...After much rigmarole, other passengers took bumps...& we finally were able to get us all on the same flight (in different rows mind you) & we headed home...

And 30 seconds after we landed and walked down the Jetway - Hails told us she didn't feel good - and then proceeded to throw up all over the gate area...

What. a. day...

With no help from the gate agents - we found a garbage can, helped our little girl while she finished throwing up, and then went about our merry way...

As we headed towards baggage claim to get our $25 a bag each way checked luggage...a random guy who'd been around since we entered the airport at ORD came up to us and said - 'You guys are great parents - you are doing an amazing job...keep up the great work' -

And I could tell that he meant it. He gave us a half smile and a *knowing look* ~

The sword fiasco, the figuring out who is going home and who may be hanging out in the airport for another 12 hours, the not being able to all sit together or even near each other on the plane...the vomit at the gate...
This guy had watched it all...
He watched us not panic, not buckle, not cry...

And his kind kind words meant so very much on that utterly stressful day...
I think about those words sometimes...
Sometimes when I'm not feeling like a good parent. When there are not enough hours in the day. When there's not enough money in my pocket. When my patience level is tested. When I'm tired...

I think about the kind words that man spoke to us. Ten seconds of his time...
He could have just walked right on by...like the dozens of others did...

I think about how much those words meant to me on a day when nothing was going my way...How much they still mean to me...

Thank you random kind stranger en route from Orlando to Minneapolis at about this time last year...

A person's words really do resonate...
Good...or Bad...

Have you said something nice to someone recently?
You can make a difference...

5 comments:

ali said...

oh i LOVE this post!!

the kindness of strangers is amazing!! last week the kids & i were out for lunch. a little old lady sat at the booth behind us & heard me tell the kids that if they were good at wm i'd buy them a snack. she turned around, told them how well-behaved they were being, & gave them each $1 for a snack.

made.my.day.

it's nice to have things like that to think about, huh?

xoxo (btw, i may steal this post idea!!)

Samantha said...

This is so sweet Darcie. A true testament to the fact that you are an awesome Mom and that people notice enough to say so. :) I just wish more people would go out of their way to be kind... this is a good gentle reminder for everyone to do just that. <3

Anonymous said...

I was just commenting to some friends today that I try to be kind to check-out people, waiters, etc as I know they have a tough job dealing with the sometimes crabby public...you never know how much it might mean to them if they are having a bad day.

We need more "positive" in the world!!! Amy

Virginia said...

When someone else is having THAT DAY in Target or Rainbow or at the park, I always tell them I've been there and they're doing great and that they should have an extra helping of something after dinner.
Thank you so much for posting this. We should all remember to be a little kind, a little helpful.

Anonymous said...

I was behind a guy at target while he unloaded his stuff onto the belt. His daughter (Mallory's age) was eyeing the little toys at the register... I HATE those toys. Anyway, his daughter grabbed one, asked for it and when he said "no" she put it back and stood next to him. I smiled and said, "That was great. She asked, you nicely said no, she listened. You're a great dad." He smiled and said, "Well, it's the first time and the other one isn't here to beg too." Whatever. I thought it was so nice to see a normal, pleasant exchange where a tired parent didn't give in and the kid was fine with hearing "no."

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