Featured in the Dayton Daily News

A few weeks ago, my sister suggested we do a weekend getaway together. It was decided we would go to New York City and relive some memories of our family past. Carry-on bags in tow, we made our way to the Dayton Airport for the late morning flight. Our agenda was set including opportunities for good food, some Broadway shows, and a much-anticipated visit with an old college friend. We were ready. Following an uncomplicated trek through the airport security, we noticed on the monitor that our flight was delayed. No problem, we thought. We’d have time for a cup of coffee and leisurely stroll to our gate. Still our spirits were excited with anticipation. Approaching our gate, the monitor simply said “Delayed” with no re-scheduled time for departure. Apparently, there was a plane in Philadelphia that had mechanical problems which meant we weren’t going anywhere. It didn’t look good.   

We were handed an opportunity to manage “stuck at the airport” two different ways. We could have paced, yelled profanities at the airline gate representative who was just trying to do her job, or we could have settled into the airport lounge. Well, that’s exactly what we did - settle in to the lounge, I mean. As the clock ticked and departure time moved further and further towards sunset, we made the best of our time together by laughing and chatting as sisters do. But the afternoon also yielded the most unexpected delights. There in the midst of stranded strangers, kindness and consideration soared.

There was a young mom with two little girls navigating the stroller piled with an open backpack, unzipped duffle bag, and overstuffed purse hanging off her shoulder gently encouraging her girls to “keep up.” Eventually the entire ensemble of travel accessories ended up splayed on the floor. The imbalanced weight just couldn’t negotiate the abrupt halt, and the contents of her hastily packed bags just overtook the gate waiting area aisle. Before I could even react, there was an elderly man, stepping into the scene, helping this young mom collect her paraphernalia. They talked, smiled at one another, and the man then returned to his seat. The mom went on to share with her daughters words of gratitude for the nice man who helped them. Random conversations popped up, connecting differences with threads of commonality. We had nothing but time, after all, to get to know one another. Literally, we shared a part of our journeys. I also noticed when there’s nowhere to go, people tend to look one another in the eye. It’s a funny thing about eye contact; I think such connection breeds politeness, courtesy, and humanity. I know this to be true for I’ve been on the receiving end of many who take simple encounters and make them a game changer because they took the time to “see” me. Perhaps our communal soul is longing for acts of kindness and civility. You could argue the loudest voices are those filled with harshness, criticism or callous intent. Don’t you want to muffle your ears sometimes when surrounded by such energy? As we tip toe with one another regarding matters of politics or the state of our world, I suggest a trip to the Dayton Airport. Although I would never wish you a four and a half-hour flight delay, the opportunity to coexist amidst the better parts of ourselves is a good reminder of our collective goodness. My sister and I have an afternoon of stories to prove it. Travel delays can be a good thing after all.